HTTYD - Life on Berk 1
by Jade Inkwell
Summary: Hiccup and Ingrid are twins, both born before they should have. With their mother killed by a dragon, they are left in the care of their father, Stoick the Vast, chief of Berk. As they get older, they get use to the dragon attacks, but poor Hiccup is put into Dragon training after claiming to have hit a Night fury. Ingrid believes him, little do they know their life is changing.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 - The Island of Berk

Sitting on a rock was a small village, sheep grazed on what little grass there was. It was night, but dark clouds blocked the moon and stars from sight.

_This, is Berk. It's twelve days north of hopeless, and a few degrees South of freezing to death. It's located solidly on the meridian of misery._

_My village. In a word, sturdy. And it's been here for seven generations, but every single building is new. We have fishing, hunting, and a charming view of the sunsets. The only problems are the pests. You see, most places have mice or mosquitos. We have... _

Some sheep are grazing peacefully on a hillside. Suddenly one is snatched. Another one walks forward and took its spot. A door is pulled open... as a DRAGON swoops directly toward it, BLASTING FIRE. The door is SLAMMED. The fire shoots through the slats of wood, illuminating a gangly teenage Viking.

"...dragons." He smiles, he re- opens the sizzling door, as leaps off of the front porch. He weaves through the erupting mayhem as Vikings pour out of the buildings, ready for a fight.

"Dragon" Someone yelled. More dragons swarmed in, setting rooftops alight and hauling off sheep

" Most people would leave. Not us. We're Vikings. We have stubbornness issues." Vikings sound the alarm. Viking men and women pour out into the streets, axes in hand. Apart from the teenage boy who darts through alleys, staying under eaves, making his way through the battle. "My name's Hiccup. Great name, I know. But it's not the worst. Parents believe a hideous name will frighten off gnomes and trolls. Like our charming Viking demeanour wouldn't do that." Dragons sweep back and forth, dodging axes and blasting the Vikings who throw them. A burly warrior gets tossed in an explosion, nocking Hiccup to the ground

"Arggghhhhh!" A viking roared in the boy's face , then grinned "Mornin'!"

Hiccup gets to his feet and continues to rush past gigantic men and women. ** "**Meet the neighbors. Hoark the Haggard..."

"What are you doing out!?" Hoark asked

"... Burnthair the Broad..."

"Get inside! " Burnthair told him

"... Phlegma the Fierce..."

"Get back inside!" Phlegma roared Hiccup passed a silent ox of a Viking, picking his ear. Then the biggest Viking of all comes from the smoke. He yanks Hiccup from the path of a strafing dragon and holds aloft to the crowd. 

"Hiccup!?" He asked, he looked accusingly at the crowd "What is he doing out again?!" He looks at hiccup "What are you doing out?! Get inside!" The flames light up his scowling face and matted red beard. He sets Hiccup down and turns to the sky, searching.

_That's Stoick the Vast. Chief of the tribe. They say that when he was a baby he popped a dragon's head clean off of its shoulders. Do I believe it? _Stoick grabs a wooden cart and hurls it, knocking the strafing dragon out of the sky. _Yes, I do._ An EXPLOSION forces Vikings to duck. Stoick stands firm, brushing flaming debris off of his shoulder.

"What have we got?" Stoick asked

"Gronkles. Nadders. Zipplebacks. Oh, and Hoark saw a Monstrous Nightmare." A Viking said

"Any Night Furies?"

"None so far." "Good." Stoick nodded, he seemed to be relieved

"Hoist the torches!" A Viking commanded. Massive flaming braziers are raised on poles, lighting up the night sky... and revealing swirling dragons of all types. Below, Hiccup crosses an open plaza and ducks into an open building with a tall chimney. He crosses behind a counter, where a peg-legged, one-armed hulk of a Blacksmith reshapes blades with a hammer and tongs appendage

"Ah! Nice of you to join the party!" The blacksmith grinned "I thought you'd been carried off." Hiccup dons a leather apron and starts to put away the Vikings scattered appendages.

" Who me? Nah, come on! I'm way too muscular for their taste. They wouldn't know what to do with all this." Hiccup strikes a bodybuilder pose. They need toothpicks, don't they? " The Viking stated. Hiccup gets to work, transferring bent and chipped weapons to the forge as Vikings crowd the counter for replacements

_The meathead with attitude and interchangeable hands is Gobber. I've been his apprentice ever since I was little. Well...littler_

We move to the lower defences. We'll counter-attack with catapults." Stoick to his men

Armed men rush past, flanking others who carry sheep to safety. Stoick follows up the rear as, overhead, a dragon strafes the rooftops with Napalm-like fire.

_See? Old village. Lots and lots of new houses. _

In response, the fire brigade charges through the plaza five TEENS, tugging a large wooden cask on wheels. From it, they fill buckets of water to douse the flames. One among them is a cute, energetic Viking girl. Hiccup leans out of the stall to watch her

_Oh and that's Fishlegs, Snotlout. The twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut. My Twin sister Ingrid and there is Astrid. Their job is so much cooler._

Hiccup tries to join them as they pass, but he's hooked by Gobber and hoisted back inside

"Ah, come on. Let me out, please. I need to make my mark." Hiccup complained

Oh, you've made plenty of marks. All in the wrong places." Gobber said ** "**Please, two minutes. I'll kill dragon. My life will get infinitely better. I might even get a date." Hiccup tried to reason with the blacksmith 

"You can't lift a hammer. You can't swing an axe..." Gobber grabs a bola

"Dragon"

"... you can't even throw one of these." A Viking runs by and nabs it out of Gobber's hand, hurling it at a dive-bombing Gronkle. The bola binds its legs, sending it into a heavy crash.

Okay fine, but..." He rushes to the back corner of the stall and presents a bizarre, wheel barrow-like contraption "... this will throw it for me." Hiccup opens the hinged lid of the device. An arm springs up, equipped with twin bows. They prematurely launch a bola, narrowly missing Gobber... and taking out a Viking at the counter

" Arggh!" The poor Viking cried

"See, now this right here is what I'm talking about." Gobber said

"Mild calibration issue." Hiccup

"Hiccup. If you ever want to get out there to fight dragons, you need to stop all..." Gobber gestures in Hiccup's general direction "... this."

"But... you just pointed to all of me." Hiccup said

"Yes! That's it! Stop being all of you." Gobber told him " Ohhhh..." Hiccup said

"Ohhhhh, yes." Gobber mimicked the teen

"You, sir, are playing a dangerous game. Keeping this much,raw..Vikingness contained. There will be consequences!" Hiccup told him

Gobber tosses him a sword. "I'll take my chances. Sword. Sharpen. Now." Hiccup takes it begrudgingly and lobs it onto the grinding wheel. He stews... fantasizing.

One day I'll get out there. Because killing a dragon is everything around here…. Nadders land, gathering like seagulls around a seemingly vacant house. A Nadder head is sure to get me at least noticed. The Nadders clamber onto the building, tearing the roof and walls apart. Sheep pour out and scatter. Elsewhere, hippo-like Gronckles pick drying racks clean of fish and fly off like loaded pelicans. Gronckles are tough. Taking down one of those would definitely get me a girlfriend. A stealthy, snake-like dragon head peeks over a rooftop, breathing gas into a chimney. A Zippelback? Exotic, exciting. Two heads, twice the status. A second head pokes through the door and lights it. KABLAM! The two heads fly through the explosion, their necks zipping together to reveal a single body. It flies past Stoick as he climbs to the top of a

"They found the sheep!" Stoick growled "Concentrate fire over the lower bank!" 

"Fire!" the catapult operator roared. Boulders are catapulted at the corralling Nadders... Just as a huge red dragon whips past, spraying the base of the catapult with sticky fire. And then there's the Monstrous Nightmare. Only the best Vikings go after those. They have this nasty habit of setting themselves on emerges from the flames, climbing the catapult with a leering, toothy grin.

"Reload! I'll take care of this." Stoick said. He takes on the Nightmare, face to hammer. Suddenly, a loud ballistic sound streaks overhead. The catapult crew ducks. Hiccup looks up from his work, reacting to the same sound. But the ultimate prize is the dragon no one has ever seen. We call it the—

" Night Fury! Get down! " Vikings everywhere take shelter. The moaning sound builds. The Monstrous Nightmare suddenly stops fighting and takes flight. Stoick looks skyward Stoick jumps….KABOOM! The Catapult EXPLODES as though hit by an artillery shell... sending Stoick and the crew leaping for their lives. This thing never steals food, never shows itself, and... The sound recedes, leaving the crippled catapult in flames...never misses. No one has ever killed a Night Fury. That's why I'm going to be the first! Gobber trades his hammer for an axe

" Man the fort, Hiccup, they need me out there!" He traded his hook for an axe. Gobber pauses. Turns with a threatening glare "Stay. Put. There. You know what I mean." Gobber charges into the fray, hollering. Hiccup was standing as a smirk crosses his face

WHAM! Hiccup pushes his wheeled contraption through a wall of clustered Vikings. He weaves through the ongoing mayhem, as fast as his legs can carry him

"Hiccup, where are you going

"Come back here!"

"I know. Be right back!"

The Nadders have cornered the house-full of sheep. They close in, ready to spring upon them. Stoick suddenly appears, hurling fishing nets over them. The surprised Nadders are caught. Stoick and his men rush in. A Nadder blasts a hole through its net. Stoick leaps onto it, clamping his thick arms around its head, forcing its jaws shut.

" Mind yourselves! The devils still have some juice in them." Stoick warned 

Hiccup reaches a cliff overlooking the smoking catapult and drops the handles to the ground. He cranks several levers, unfolding and then cocking the bowed arms of his contraption. He drops a bola onto a chamber and then pivots the weapon on a gimbal head toward the dark sky. He listens, with his eye pressed to the scope, hand poised on the trigger. He hears the Night Fury approaching... and turns his aim to the defense tower. It closes in for the final strike, completely camouflaged in the night

"Come on. Give me something to shoot at, give me something to shoot at." Hiccup muttered to himself. KABLAM! The tower topples. The blast of fire illuminates the dragon for a split second. Hiccup pulls the trigger. KERTHUNK! The flexed arms SNAP forward, springing the weapon off the ground. The bola disappears into the sky, followed by a WHACK and a screech. "Oh I hit it! Yes, I hit it! Did anybody see that?" Hiccup's victory is short-lived. A Monstrous Nightmare appears, slithering up over the lip of the cliff. "Except for you. Stoick was holding down the netted Nadders, Ingrid was helping, she was good at tying tight nots. He hears a familiar holler and looks up to see…Hiccup running through the plaza, screaming, with the Nightmarefast on his heels. Alarmed, Stoick abandons the Nadders and runs off

" DO NOT let them escape!" Stoick yelled, and other rushed forward to help the teen.

Vikings scatter as Hiccup dodges a near fatal blast. The Nightmare's sticky, Napalm-like fire splashes up onto buildings, setting them alight. Hiccup ducks behind the last standing brazier - the only shelter available. The Nightmare blasts it, spraying fire all around him. Hiccup peers around the smoldering post. No sign of the Nightmare. He turns back to find it leering at him, blocking his escape. It takes a deep breath. Hiccup is finished. Suddenly, Stoick leaps between them, tackling the Nightmare to the ground. They tumble and wrestle, resuming their earlier fight. The Nightmare tries to toast him, but only coughs up smoke.

"You're all out!" He smashes the Nightmare repeatedly in the face, driving it away. It takes to the air and disappears. Winded, Stoick turns to Hiccup. 

_Oh, and there's one more thing you need to know..._ The burnt brazier pole collapses, sending the massive iron basket crashing. It bounces down the hill, destroying as it goes and scattering the Vikings who were holding down the netted Nadders. The freed dragons escape... with several sheep in tow. ** "**Sorry, dad." Hiccup said

The escaped Nadders fly past with sheep in their clutches. The raid is over. The dragons have clearly won. The murmuring crowd eyes Stoick, awaiting his response

"Okay, but I hit a Night Fury." Stoick grabs Hiccup by the back scruff of his collar and hauls him away, fuming with embarrassment "It's not like the last few times, Dad. I mean I really actually hit it. You guys were busy and I had a very clear shot. It went down, just off Raven Point. Let's get a search party out there, before it—" 

" -STOP! Just...stop." He releases Hiccup. Everyone goes silent, staring expectantly. "Every time you step outside, disaster follows. Can you not see that I have bigger problems? Winter's almost here and I have an entire village to feed!" Hiccup looks around. All eyes are upon him. ** "**Between you and me, the village could do with a little less feeding, don't ya think?" Hiccup mutter. A few rotund Vikings stir self-consciously. This isn't a joke, Hiccup!" Stoick sighed exasperated.

"Why can't you follow the simplest orders?"

" can't stop myself. I see a dragon and I have to just... kill it, you know? It's who I am, Dad." Hiccup said

" You are many things, Hiccup. But a dragon killer is not one of them." Hiccup looks around to see many nods of agreement. "Get back to the house." Stoick looked at Gobber "make sure he gets there. I have his mess to clean up." Stoick lumbers off in the opposite direction. Gobber leads Hiccup through the walk of shame. They pass the teen fire brigade as they snicker. ** "**Quite the performance." Truffaut laughed

"I've never seen anyone mess up that badly. That helped!" Snotlout grinned ** "**Thank you, thank you. I was trying, so..." Hiccup sighed, He avoids Astrid's glare and heads up toward a large house, standing prominently on the hill above the others. Ingrid watched her twin and looked a the other teens, she knew what he was doing.

"I really did hit one." Hiccup told Gobber

"Sure, Hiccup." Gobber nodded

"He never listens."

"Well, it runs in the family." "And when he does, it's always with this... disappointed scowl. Like someone skimped on the meat in his sandwich." Hiccup mimicked his father "Excuse me, barmaid. I'm afraid you brought me the wrong offspring. I ordered an extra-large boy with beefy arms. Extra guts and glory on the side. This here. This is a talking fish bone."

"You're thinking about this all wrong. It's not so much what you look like. It's what's inside that he can't stand." Gobber told him

"Thank you, for summing that up." Hiccup sighed, feeling worse. They reach the doorway.

"Look, the point is, stop trying so hard to be something you're not." Hiccup signs heavily.

"I just want to be one of you guys." Gobber eyes him sympathetically. Hiccup turns and goes through the front door. And straight out the back door. He hurries off into the woods, determined.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – the choice of the chief and twins together

A noisy din of protesting voice leads to...stoick, glowering in the firelight. Surrounded by his men.

"Either we finish them or they'll finish us! It's the only way we'll be rid of them! If we find the nest and destroy it, the dragons will leave. They'll find another home." Stoick said, He sinks his blade into a... large nautical map, spread out on the table... the blade pierces the middle of an uncharted corner, swirling with painted sea monsters and dragons. "One more search. Before the ice sets in."

"Those ships never come back."

We're Vikings. It's an occupational hazard. Now who's with me?" Stoick throws up his fist. No one follows. The crowds shifts in restless silence. Head scratches. Eyes averted

"Today's not good for me."

"gotta do my axe returns."

" Alright. Those who stay will look after Hiccup. " Stoick said, suddenly, hands jut into the air, volunteers galore. Enthusiastic murmurs of prep and packing fill the room.

"To the ships!" Phlegm yelled

"I'm with you Stoick!" Spitelout said

"That's more like it." Stoick nodded, the Vikings rush for the door, leaving Gobber and Stoick alone. Gobber gulps back the contents of his tankard attachment and scrapes back the bench

" I'll pack my undies." Gobber said ** "**No, I need you to stay and train some new recruits." Stoick told him ** "**Oh, perfect. And while I'm busy, Hiccup can cover the stall. Molten steel, razor sharp blades, lots of time to himself...what could possibly go wrong?" Gobber said, Stoick sinks onto the bench beside Gobber, his brow burdened.

" What am I going to do with him Gobber?" Stoick asked

"Put him in training with the others." Gobber said

"No, I'm serious. " Stoick looked at him

"So am I." Gobber said ,Stoick glared at him.

"He'd be killed before you let the first dragon out of its cage" Stoick said. ** "**Oh, you don't know that."

" I do know that, actually."

"No you don't."

"No, actually I do."

"No you don't!"

"Listen! You know what he's like. From the time he could crawl he's been...different. He doesn't listen. Has the attention span of a sparrow. I take him fishing and he goes hunting for... for trolls." Stoick sighed** "**Trolls exist! They steal your socks!" Gobber said in defence "But only the left ones. What's with that?"

"When I was a boy..." Stoick began

" Oh here we go." Gobber grumbled

" My father told me to bang my head against a rock and I did it. I thought it was crazy, but I didn't question him. And you know what happened?"

"You got a headache."

"That rock split in two. It taught me what a Viking could do, Gobber. He could crush mountains, level forests, tame seas! Even as a boy, I knew what I was, what I had to become. Hiccup is not that boy."

"You can't stop him, Stoick. You can only prepare him." Gobber told him "look, I know it seems hopeless. But the truth is you won't always be around to protect him. He's going to get out there again. He's probably out there now."

Hiccup looks up from his notebook and peeks over a gorge, expectantly. But sees adds another 'X' to the page, then scratches his pencil over the whole map in frustration. He snaps the book closed and pockets it. 

"Uggh, the gods hate me. Some people lose their knife or their mug. No, ot me. I manage to lose an entire dragon!" Hiccup whacks a low-hanging branch. It snaps back at him, hitting him in the face. He looks up to see a snapped tree trunk. His eyes follow it to a long trench of up-turned earth. He follows it to a downed, black dragon, its body and tail tangled in a bola. It appears dead. Hiccup approaches, beaming "Oh wow. I did it. I did it. This fixes everything. Yes! " He strikes a victory pose, planting his foot on the fallen Night Fury. "I have brought down this mighty beast!"It suddenly shifts. "Whoa!" Hiccup springs back, terrified. He turns his blade on it. Rattled, Hiccup creeps along the length of the weak, wounded dragon, dagger poised to strike. As he reaches the head, Hiccup finds the Night Fury staring coldly at him. Hiccup tries to look away, but he's drawn back to its unnerving, unflinching stare. With the dragon safety tangled in the ropes, Hiccup jabs with his dagger, puffing himself up with false bravado. "I'm going to kill you, Dragon. I'm gonna cut out your heart and take it to my father. I'm a Viking. I am a VIKING!" Hiccup raises the dagger, determined to prove his Viking- ness. The dragon's labored breathing breaks Hiccup's clenched concentration. He opens an eye, uncertainty leaking through. The dragon holds the stare. Something profound is exchanged. Finally, the Night Fury closes its eye and lowers its head, resigned to its fate. Hiccup tries to go through with it, holding the dagger aloft... fighting himself... until finally lowering it with a frustrated sigh. He looks over the dragon's chaffed rope wounds. "I did this." He turns to leave. Pauses. And glances back at the dragon, chest heaving. Hiccup grumbles. He checks over his shoulder to ensure that no one is watching... then hurries back to cut the ropes. The Night Fury's eye shoots open. With the dragon watching his every move, Hiccup hurriedly saws through the bola ropes. As the last rope falls free, the Night Fury suddenly pounces. In a blur, the dragon is upon him, pinning Hiccup down, grazing his neck. Looking like it's about to kill him. Hiccup is paralyzed. The dragon's breath ruffles his hair. Hiccup opens his eyes to find the Night Fury's wolf-like stare boring into him. The exchange is intense, profound. The dragon draws a deep breath, as though it's about to torch him, then lets out an ear-piercing scream instead. It turns and takes flight, flapping violently through the canopy of trees. It bashes against a nearby mountain side, recovers, and drops out of view some distance away. Winded, Hiccup struggles to his feet, staggers a few steps, collapses to his knees, and faints. 

Hiccup enters to see…Stoick seated on a thick slice of tree-trunk. He is slouched over the fire-pit, stirring the coals with his axe. Embers waft around his beard. Hiccup tries to sneak past, up the stairs to his room. Stoick seems none the wiser, when…

" Hiccup."

"Dad. Uh..." Hiccup says, Stoick stands, takes a deep breath.

"I have to talk to you son."

"I have to talk to you dad." They spoke at the same time.

I've decided I don't want to I think it's time you learn fight dragons. to fight dragons." their voices became a mingled mess" What? What? "

"You go first." Stoick said

"No, you go first." Hiccup insisted

"Alright. You get your wish. Dragon training. You start in the morning. ** "**Oh man, I should've gone first. Uh, 'cause I was thinking, you know we have a surplus of dragon-fighting Vikings, but do we have enough bread-making Vikings, or small home repair Vikings "

"-You'll need this " Stoick hands Hiccup his axe. Hiccup avoids taking it. " I don't want to fight dragons." Hiccup said

"Come on. Yes, you do." Stoick said, just as Ingrid came in, her brother and Father hadn't noticed. So, she stood waiting.

"Rephrase. Dad I can't kill dragons."

"But you will kill dragons."

"No, I'm really very extra sure that I won't."

"It's time Hiccup. " 

"Can you not hear me?"

"This is serious son!" Stoick forces the axe into Hiccup's hands. Its weight drags him down. He looks up to see Stoick under-lit with firelight.

"When you carry this axe... carry all of us with you. Which means you walk like us. You talk like us. You think like us. No more of..." gesturing non-specifically at Hiccup "... this."

" You just gestured to all of me. "

" Deal? "

"This conversation is feeling very one-sided."

" DEAL?!" Hiccup glances at the axe in his hands. It's a no-win argument. "Deal." Satisfied, Stoick grabs his helmet and duffel bag... and heads for the door. "Good. Train hard. I'll be back. Probably."

"And I'll be here. Maybe." Stoick heads out the door, leaving Hiccup holding the axe."

Later that night, Ingrid knocked on Hiccups door.

"What?" Hiccup groaned

"It's me." She opened his door, he was sitting at his desk.

"Have you come to mock me? " Hiccup said

"No, I have come to see if you would like some help finding that dragon." Ingrid said, Hiccup looked at her

"You believe me? " He asked

"You're my twin, I would know if you're lying. " Ingrid smiled, Hiccup smiled back.

Before the sun had even risen, the twins set out, Hiccup told Ingrid the truth as they walked.

"You couldn't kill a dragon…" she muttered

"Stupid, right?" Hiccup sighed

"No, but Father shouldn't be told about that, he would lose it." Ingrid said

"I doubt he would care, I am a Hiccup…"Hiccup sighed

"Mother wouldn't want you to speak like that." Ingrid looked at him as he lead the way to the Night Fury.

"Yeah…." Hiccup trailed off, they went through a gap that led to the plateform. Their was a scale on the ground, Ingrid bent down to pick it up, suddenly something jumped up. The twins backed off, once it went, they looked down to see the Night Fury trying to get out.

"Oh my…this is amazing….Look at those wings!" Ingrid gasped in amazement. Hiccup pulled out his note book and began to draw. He finished and looked at the dragon, he dropped his pencil and it rolled down, The night fury looked up, the twins froze, but the Night fury did nothing, it just looked at them. Hiccup and Ingrid looked at each other.

Gobber raises a massive iron gate at the entrance of a vast stone arena. "Welcome to dragon training!" Goober said. The recruits file through the gate, and out onto the arena floor. They take it in like gladiators entering the colosseum. The walls are covered in scorched silhouettes of blasted Vikings. It's a grim yet awe-inspiring place. "No turning back." Astrid said

"I hope I get some serious burns." Tuffnut smiled

"I'm hoping for some mauling, like on my shoulder or lower back." Ruffnut grinned "Yeah, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it." Astrid nodded

"Yeah, no kidding, right? Pain. Love it." The recruits turn to see Hiccup behind them. Groans all around. Ingrid appeared beside him

"Oh great. Who let him in?" "Let's get started! The recruit who does best will win the honour of killing his first dragon in front of the entire village.

"Hiccup already killed a Night Fury, so does that disqualify him or...?"Snotlout asked. The recruits laughand chatter in the background.

"Can I transfer to the class with the cool Vikings?" Tuffnut laughed. Gobber throws a supportive arm around Hiccup and ushers him along.

"Don't worry. You're small and you're weak. That'll make you less of a target. They'll see you as sick or insane and go after the more Viking-like teens instead. Gobber pushes him in line with the others and continues on toward five massive reinforced doors. Terrible roars and bellows issue from within. "Behind these doors are just a few of the many species you will learn to fight." Fishlegs bounces and giggles with excitement, barely able to contain himself. "The Deadly Nadder."

"Speed eight. Armor sixteen." Fishlegs mutter, Ingrid and Hiccup shoot each other a look.

"The Hideous Zippleback."

"Plus eleven stealth. Times two."

"The Monstrous Nightmare."

"Firepower fifteen"

"The Terrible Terror"

"Attack eight. Venom twelve"

"CAN YOU STOP THAT?! And...the Gronckle"

"Jaw strength, eight." Fishlegs whispered, Gobber pulls a lever, raising the cross beam on the last of the doors

"Whoa, wait! Aren't you gonna teach us first!?" Snotlout asked

I believe in learning on the job." BAM! A Gronkle thunders out of its cave, charging into the ring like an irate rhino. The recruits scramble in every direction. Except for Ruffnut and Tuffnut who rush toward it, like pumped-up rodeo clowns. " Today is about survival. If you get blasted, you're dead. Quick, what's the first thing you're going to need? "

"A doctor" Hiccup muttered

"Plus five speed" Fishlegs asked

"A shield!" Ingrid and Astrid said together

"Shields. Go." Gobber told them. The recruits scramble for shields, finding them scattered around the ring. "Your most important piece of equipment is your shield. If you must make a choice between a sword or a shield, take the shield." Hiccup struggles to lift his, Ingrid helps him and sends him running with a friendly smile. Ruff and Tuff stand amidst a dozen shields. But only one has a skull painted on it. They both grab it.

"Get your hands off my shield" Tuff growls

"There are like a million shields" Ruff growled back

"Take that one, it has a flower on it. Girls like flowers." Tuff says, Ruffnut uses the shield to bash Tuffnut in the face. He doesn't let go.

"Ooops, now this one has blood on it." She holds it out to him. The Gronckle takes aim at the distracted twins. Blam! The shield is blasted out of both of their hands. Tuff and Ruff spin like tops and go down.

" Tuffnut, Ruffnut, you're out!" Gobber says

"what?!" The twins say confused and dazed. The Gronckle scoops up a pile of rocks and swallows them back. The teens gather on the far side of the ring. Those shields are good for another thing. Noise. Make lots of it to throw off a dragon's aim. The kids scoop up weapons and begin hammering on their shields. The Gronckle shakes its head at the clatter. "All dragons have a limited number of shots. How many does a Gronckle have?"

"Five!" Snotlout shouted

"No, six." Fishlegs corrects him

"Correct, six. That's one for each of you!" Gobber said

"I really don't think my parents would—" Fishlegs began,BAM! Fishlegs has his shield blasted away.

"Fishlegs, out." Gobber spots Hiccup hiding from the Gronckle's molten slugs. "Hiccup, get in there!" Astrid was bouncing on her heels, ready to dodge a blast. Snotlout appears, trying to hit on her.

" So anyway I'm moving into my parents' basement. You should come by sometime to work out. You look like you work out-" Snotlout says, Astrid cartwheels out of the way, allowing a shot to shoot past her and hit Snotlout's shield. He's blasted onto his back. "Snotlout! You're done!" Astrid rolls to a stop beside Hiccup, who stirs awkwardly, trying to look cool.

"So, I guess it's just you and me, huh?"

"No. Just you." Astrid rolls away. A split-second later a lava slug knocks Hiccup's shield clear off of his arm. Hiccup is exposed.

"One shot left!" Gobber calls. Hiccup panics and chases after his shield as it rolls across the ring. The sudden movement sends the Gronckle chasing after him, leaving Astrid and Ingrid in the clear.

"Hiccup!" Ingrid yelled and gave chase. The Gronckle drives straight toward Hiccup, pinning him against the wall. It opens its mouth and cocks its tail, ready to fire point-blank. Ingrid smashes her shield into the side of it's he, knocking its aim off course. Gobber lunges in and hooks the Gronckle's mouth .

"And that's six!" Gobber wrestles the irate Gronckle back into his pen. "Go back to bed, ya overgrown sausage! You'll get another chance, don't you worry." Slam! Lock. Gobber turns to the recruits. "Remember... a dragon will always," with a stern look to Hiccup "always go for the kill." Ingrid hoists Hiccup to his feet and looks at him sadly. Hiccup looks overhead to see a steaming pit in the solid stone wall.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 - The book of Dragons

Hiccup, battered after another disastrous day in the ring. He was with Ingrid going back to the house

So...why didn't you?" Hiccup muttered

"Uh?" Ingrid looked at him.

"Gobber says a Dragon always goes for the kill, but the Night Fury had that chance, but didn't…" Hiccup whispered so no one could hear them.

"Nor did it attack us when it saw us…" Ingrid agreed "We have to learn more about it first, before we even think about going near it."

A storm is brewing outside. The great doors rattle on their hinges.

" Alright. Where did Astrid go wrong in the ring today?" Gobber asked, it was later at night and the recruits are seated at a table, eating dinner by the glow of the fire pit. ** "**I mistimed my summersault dive. It was sloppy. It threw off my reverse tumble." Astrid said with eye rolls from the group.

"Yeah. We noticed." Ruffnut muttered sarcastically

"No, no, you were great. That was so 'Astrid'" Snotlout took her hand trying to woo her again

"She's right, you have to be tough on yourselves." Gobber said, creak All eyes turn to Hiccup andIngrid, entering the hall, sheepishly. Gobber glares at Hiccup. "Where did Hiccup go wrong?" Hiccup tries to take a seat at the table

"He showed up"

"He didn't get eaten." The recruits keep closing the gaps. Rolling her eyes, Ingrid took Hiccup over and sit at the vacant table next to them.

"He's never where he should be." Astrid said "Thank you, Astrid." Gobber stands. "You need to live and breathe this stuff." Gobber lays a giant book in the center of the table. "The dragon manual. Everything we know about every dragon we know of." A rumble of thunder shakes the hall. Rain pours down outside. "No attacks tonight. Study up." Gobber exits into the storm, leaving the teens staring at the book

"Wait, you mean read?" Tuffnut gasped

"While we're still alive?" Ruffnut was just as horrified

"Why read words when you can just kill the stuff the words tell you stuff about?" Snotlout growled

"Oh! I've read it like, seven times. There's this water dragon that sprays boiling water at your face. And there's this other one that buries itself for like a week..." The teens stare as Fishlegs goes on too long.

"Yeah, that sounds great. There was a chance I was going to read that..." Tuffnut began

"...but now..." Ruffnut muttered, Snotlout gets up to go

You guys read, I'll go kill stuff." The others follow, with Fishlegs in tow.

" Oh and there's this other one that has these spines that look like trees..." Fishlegs continues going on about the dragons . Astrid is the last to go.

So I guess we'll share—" Hiccup began

"Read it." She pushes it toward him and leaves

All mine then. Wow, so okay. I'll see you—" Slam. "Tomorrow." Hiccup sighed.

Later that night Ingrid and Hiccup sit next to each other, as Hiccup opens massive book. Thunder BOOMS outside. The hall is vacant and dark, but for the few candles he's pulled together. Hiccup pours through page after page of strange and frightening dragons.

"Dragon classifications. Strike class. Fear class. Mystery class." Hiccup turns the page. "Thunderdrum. This reclusive dragon inhabits sea caves and dark tide pools. When startled, the Thunderdrum produces a conTheir's eyes drift to a lurid illustration of decapitated Vikings. Another page, another dragon. "Timberjack. This gigantic creature has razor sharp wings that can slice through full grown trees...extremely dangerous. Kill on sight." The illustrations seem to take on a life of their own, shifting and squirming in the candlelight. "Scauldron. Sprays scalding water at its victim. Extremely dangerous." The storm outside rages against the shuttered windows. Hiccup is startled, but presses on. "Changewing. Even newly hatched dragons can spray acid. Kill on sight." He begins flipping through the pages. A blur of dragons...

"Gronckle. Zippleback. The Skrill. Bone Knapper. Whispering Death. Burns its victims. Buries its victims. Chokes its victims. its victims inside-out. Extremely dangerous. Extremely dangerous. Kill on sight. Kill on sight. Kill on sight..." Ingrid reads, suddenly they finally lands upon the page they've been looking for.

"Night Fury." He read, It's BLANK - no image, save for a few, sparse details. "Speed unknown. Size unknown. The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. Never engage this dragon. Your only chance, hide and pray it does not find you." Hiccup pulls his sketchbook out of his vest and opens it to his drawing of Toothless. He lays it over the book's blank page and considers it.

A painted dragon, with a sword run through it. It's the billowing sail of Stoick's ship. Stoick hovers over the familiar nautical map - his eyes on the uncharted corner, Whirling in mist and illustrations of dragons

"I can almost smell them. They're close. Steady." Stoick raises his gaze to... an epic fog bank, towering from sky to sea like a bruised, daunting curtain, beyond which nothing is visible. The three ships drift alongside it, skirting its solid edge, looking for an opening. On deck, the crewmen mill nervously, all too aware of what Stoick is considering. "Take us in." The helmsman steers Stoick's ship into the fog. The men draw their weapons, prepping for the worst.

"Hard to port... for Helheim's gate." The first ship disappears into the whiteout, followed by the other two. Suddenly a flash of light. A silhouette of a dragon. Hollers. Sounds of splitting and shattering wood. Plunges into the water. Another bright flash. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - Brfriending Lighting and Death

Hiccup runs his finger over the dragon painted on to his shield. 

**"**You know, I just happened to notice the book had nothing on Night Furies. Is there another book? Or a sequel? Maybe a little Night Fury pamphlet?" Hiccup asked. KABLAM! A blast takes the axe head off of Hiccup's hilt, leaving a smoking hole behind him. Hiccup yelps and runs.

"FOCUS Hiccup! You're not even trying. " Gobber said, A Deadly Nadder, loose in a maze-like arrangement of moveable walls. Gobber calls orders from above. ** "**Today... is all about attack." The Nadder hops from wall to wall, sending the recruits scurrying. "Nadders are quick and light on their feet. Your job is to be quicker and lighter. "

"You don't say!" Ingrid grummbled. The teens move in, stumbling over Hiccup and his unwieldy shield. The Nadder spots Fishlegs' ample rear hiding behind a wall. It whips its tail of spikes. Fishlegs screams and lifts an entire wall to shield himself from the spray. 

**"** I'm really beginning to question your teaching methods." Fishlegs said

**"** Look for its blind spot. Every dragon has one. Find it, hide in it, and strike." Gobber advised. Tuff and Tuff rush in, diving and rolling up to the Nadder's nose. The Nadder sniffs the air - it can't see them. Tuff and Ruff are smashed together - too close for comfort. 

**"**Do you ever bathe?" Ruffnut asked his Twin, Ingrid was hidden nearby, she rolled her eyes.

**"I**f you don't like it, then just get your own blind spot." Tuffnut told him ** "**How about I give you one!" Ruff and Tuff shove each other, till their movement and noise gives them away. The Nadder attacks, snapping at both of them. 

**"**Blind spot? Yes. Deaf spot? Not so much." Gobber said, Hiccup wanders up to Gobber, while the others dart past. ** "**Hey, so how would one sneak up on a Night Fury?" Hiccup asked

"None one's ever met one and lived to tell the tale. Now get in there." Gobber said, Ingrid smiled at Gobber's lack of knowledge.

" I know, I know, but hypothetically..." Hiccup began

**"H**iccup!" Astrid whispered, She puts her finger to her lips and gestures for him to hide. A moment later, the Nadder leaps over the walls, surprising them by landing in front of her. Astrid somersaults into its blind spot, confusing it. She rears back to strike - just as Snotlout leaps in protectively sweeping Astrid behind him. ** "**Watch out babe. I'll take care of this. " Snotlout misses. Astrid glares at him. "The sun was in my eyes, Astrid. What do you want me to do, block out the sun? I could do that, but I don't have time right now!" The Nadder tears off after her, knocking down walls in pursuit. She leaps and dives like a highly trained gymnast. Hiccup wanders up to Gobber again. 

**"T**hey probably take the daytime off. You know, like a cat. Has anyone ever seen one napping?" Hiccup asked 

**"**Hiccup!" Gobber said

**"-**-Hiccup!" Hiccup spins around to see the maze walls collapsing like dominos toward him. Astrid comes flying through the dust and crash-lands on top of him, laying him out in a limb-tangled mess. 

**"**Oooh! Love on the battlefield!" Tuffnut cheered

"She could do better." Ruffnut said, The Nadder closes in, emerging through the cloud of dust.

"Just... let me... why don't you..." Hiccup stuttered, trying to get himself untangled. The Nadder spins around and races back toward them like a Raptor. Astrid untangles herself and tries to pull her axe from Hiccup's shield... which is attached to his limp, gangly arm. She plants her foot on his torso and yanks the axe free, still burrowed into the shield. She spins and swings the axe and shield, scoring a direct hit on the oncoming Nadder's nose. It yelps and scurries off.

"Well done, Astrid." Gobber hobbles off to wrestle the Nadder back into his cave. Hiccup gets to his feet - all eyes are upon him. He turns to find Astrid glaring at him, winded. 

"Is this some kind of a joke to you? Our parents' war is about to become ours. Figure out which side you're on." She grabs her axe and stomps off. Hiccup watches, stung. Ingrid halt herself back from going after her and giving her a punch.

Later that day, Ingrid halt a fish, whilst Hiccup carried a shield.

"Think it's still there?" Ingrid asked excitedly

"Well, it couldn't fly." Hiccup said

"True." They reached the cove, hidden behind the shield, Ingrid threw the fish in. Nothing, Hiccup tried to move forward, but the Shield was stuck. So they ducked under ir and entered the picks up the fish, they hear a snort from behind them. They turns to see the Night Fury, crouched on a rock like a stealthy panther. It descends, approaching them... ready to pounce. Hiccup swallows his fear as Ingrid offeref the fish. The dragon comes forward, it's eyes fell on Hiccup and he growled, Hiccup brushed his coat aside, revealing a knife. Hiccup reaches for it, eliciting a growl. He pauses,carefully lifts it by the handle, and drops it, the dragon growled again. Hiccup lifted it with his foot and kicked it further away, it landed with a soft plunk, as it landed in the lake. The dragon calmed and it approaches the fish, Hiccup was the first to notice that it's missing teeth.

"Huh. Toothless. I could've sworn you had..." A set of razor sharp teeth emerge from its gums to grab the fish. Toothless snatches and gnashes it up, swallowing it. "... teeth." Hiccup looked at Ingrid who had got out a note book and was writing quickly. The teeth retract again. Toothless presses closer with an expectant look. Hiccup retreats nervously. "Uh, no. No, I don't have any more."The Fury backs Hiccup against a rock, placing himself the same position as before. The dragon closes in over him, staring blankly. A tense moment passes... then Toothless regurgitates a chunk of fish onto Hiccup's lap. They exchange stares. Hiccup realizes what Toothless wants him to do. Hiccup crouches slowly and squeamishly picks it up. The dragon waits expectantly. Hiccup gags and gnaws off a bite of the slimy fish. He forces a smile. Toothless mimics him. Amazed, Hiccup sits up and tries to touch him. Toothless hissed and flaps off to a crash on the other side of the cove. He blasts the mossy ground to a red-hot temperature... and curls up on it like a giant dog. He turns to find Hiccup seated beside him. Toothless tolerates his persistent presence... until Hiccup tries to touch his damaged tail. Toothless snaps at him. Hiccup takes the hint and leaves.

"Amazing!" Ingrid smiling looking over at Toothless, he had gone and hung upside down to sleep. She had drawn and written what they had learnt.

" I still taste fish." Hiccup groaned, Ingrid laughed. "It's not funny!"

"I am surprised he even let you share the fish. Maybe it was a sign of friendship. " Ingrid suggested. She closed her book and put it beside her. "Are you going to name him?"

"Toothless." Hiccup answered, Ingrid nodded.

Twilight was upon them when Toothless woke. He saw Ingrid and Hiccup sitting on the other side of the cove. Hiccup was sketching a picture of Toothless. Hiccup was drawing with a stick, minding his own business, Ingrid was added more to her book. Toothless appears behind them, watching carefully. Aware of his presence, Hiccup continues, trying not to scare him off. Toothless walks off. A moment later, he reappears with an entire sapling, drawing lines in the sand. He rushes here and there, making haphazard lines in every direction. He looked at the twins every now and then. Finally, Toothless drops the tree and inspects his work. He seems pleased. Hiccup stands and takes in the sprawling scribble, amazed by it. He accidentally steps onto one of the lines, eliciting an instant growl from Toothless. He steps on it again. Toothless growls again. Realizing how sensitive he is, Hiccup steps carefully between each line, turning round and round until he unwittingly bumps into Toothless. Toothless snorts. Once again, they're face to face. Hiccup slowly extends his hand. Toothless hesitates. Hiccup turns his head away and closes his eyes. To his amazement, Toothless bridges the gap and presses his muzzle against Hiccup's hand. In a flash, the dragon is gone, leaving the twins astounded.

Gobber and the recruits are seated at the top of an abandoned catapult tower, toasting campfire food around a blazing bonfire

"...and with one twist he took my hand and swallowed it whole. And I saw the look on his face. I was delicious. He must have passed the word, because it wasn't a month before another one of them took my leg.

"Isn't it weird to think that your hand was inside a dragon. Like if your mind was still in control of it you could have killed the dragon from the inside by crushing his heart or something." Fishlegs

"I swear I'm so angry right now. I'll avenge your beautiful hand and your beautiful foot. I'll chop off the legs of every dragon I fight, with my face." Snotlout said, He postures to Astrid. She rolls her eyes.

"Un-unh. It's the wings and the tails you really want. If it can't fly, it can't get away. A downed dragon is a dead dragon." Gobber said with a mouth full. Ingrid looked at Hiccup, he looked back. They both hid their faces from the others. "Alright. I'm off to bed. You should be too. Tomorrow we get into the big boys. Slowly but surely making our way up to the Monstrous Nightmare." He grinned "But who'll win the honour of killing it?" He hobbles off. The teens reflect.

"It's gonna be me. It's my destiny. See?" Tuffnut rolls up his sleeve to reveal a red dragon on his arm.

"Your mom let you get a tattoo?" Fishlegs gasped

"It's not a tattoo. It's a birthmark." Tuffnut said in defence

"Okay, I've been stuck with you since birth, and that was never there before." Ruffnut told him

"Yes it was. You've just never seen me from the left side until now." Tuffnut answered

"It wasn't there yesterday. Is it a birthmark or a today-mark?" Snotlout asked, Hiccup and Ingrid gets up and walks away from the group. Astrid watches them as he leaves the bonfire.

They enter a small room at the back of the stall. It's covered in drawings of weaponry and scale models. Hiccup lights a candle and lays his sketchbook out on the desk, opening it to the drawing of Toothless. With a look of determination. Hiccup picks up a charcoal stick and re-draws the missing tail.

... a creaking leather bellows. The stone forge glows with every pump. Tongs pull intricate iron pieces from the coals. They're dropped onto the anvil, twisted, lightly hammered, and dunked in a barrel. The pieces are carried to Hiccup's workbench and laid out inplace on a one-to-one schematic. Ingrid places down some cloth she was working on…It's a sketch of amechanical fin.

The Twins arrives, Hiccup was winded, straining under the weight of a full basket of Fish. He clicks the scale he found,Toothless approaches, sniffing them

"Hey Toothless. I brought breakfast. I hope you're hungry." Hiccup drops the basket and kicks it over. Fish spill out. "Okay, that's disgusting." Toothless approaches, settling in to devour the feast. "Uh..we've got some salmon...some nice Icelandic cod... and a whole smoked eel."

Toothless muzzles fish aside looking, then he sees the eel. He growls weirdly. Ingrid picked up the eel and put it aside.

" No, no, no! It's okay. Yeah, we don't like eel much either." She chuckles, taking note in her book "I wonder if the other dragons like eel…" She mutters under her breath. Toothless focuses on the remainder. With the dragon distracted, Hiccup unwraps his prosthetic fin and opens it like a fan.

"Okay. That's it. That's it, just stick with good stuff. And don't you mind me. I'll just be back...here. Minding my own business." Hiccup cautiously approaches the injured tail, but every time he gets near it, Toothless sweeps it away like a cat. "It's okay." Hiccup drops a knee on top of the tail. Toothless' head juts up, slows its chewing to a halt. " Okay...okay.." The dragon tenses, slowly spreading his wings. Hiccup strapsthe prosthetic fin in place. He cinches the straps. " There. Not too bad. It works." Toothless BOLTS! He snaps his massive wings and takes to the air, carrying Hiccup with him.

"Hiccup!" Ingrid called, watching in complete shock, but she help smirking.

"Woah! No! No! No!" Hiccup struggles to hold on to the tail. As the ground speeds away, Toothless immediately tips into a uncontrolled bank and dive. Hiccup sees the folded fin rattling uselessly in opposition to its flared counterpart. Flap as he may, Toothless can't correct his trajectory. Hiccup swallows his fear and crawls toward the folded prosthetic. He reaches it and YANKS it open. The flared, fan- like appendage catches the air, stabilizing the twist tail.

"It's working!" Hiccup cheered as Toothless arcs just short of the water and climbs... high into the air.

"Yes, Go Hiccup!" Ingrid laughed from the ground.

"Yes! Yes, we did it." Hiccup smiled, Toothless glances back at Hiccup, busily holding the tail open while trying to hold on. They're going to crash. Whoomp! Hiccup is suddenly thrown from the tail in the intense force of a turn. "AAAAAAGGGGHHHHH!" He bounces across the water's surface and takes a dive. Ingrid flinched, without Hiccup to operate the tail, Toothless does the same, plunging in a massive cannonball. Hiccup resurfaces, roughed up, but beaming. Toothless appears seconds later.

" Yeah!" Hiccup cheered, Ingrid was laughing at her twin.


	5. Chapter 5

So, Author note, my first one on here, i know i have loads, but this was quick to write, just editing the other chapters. I am going to need more riders once this story is over for the others planed. if you have any you would like me to mention please say.

* * *

><p>Chapter 5- the way of Dragons<p>

"Today is about teamwork. Work together and you might survive." Goober said. Gas seeps through the cracks of large double doors. It blasts open. A cloud of smoke engulfs the ring, swirling around the paired-up teens. Astrid with Ruffnut. Snotlout with Tuffnut. Fishlegs with Hiccup. Ingrid was sitting out, she was doing a job in the village. All carry buckets of water, poised to throw them. "Now, a wet dragon head can't light its fire. The Hideous Zippleback is extra tricky. One head breathes gas, the other head lights it. Your job is to know which is which." The smoke encircles them, cutting them off from each other. The teens listen and watch for any sign of the dragon.

"Razor sharp, serrated teeth that inject venom for ambush attack, crushing its victims in its..."

"Will you please stop that?" Hiccup growled

Snotlout and Tuffnut moved nervously through the fog, back to back. Snotlout is singing to himself to calm his nerves.

"If that dragon shows either of his faces, I'm gonna-" He spots a shadow in the gas "-There!" Snotlout and Tuffnut hurl their water into the fog.

"Hey!" Astrid growled

"It's us, idiots." Ruffnut growled, Astrid and Ruffnut are soaked.

"Your butts are getting bigger. We thought you were a dragon." Tuffnut said

"Not that there's anything wrong with a dragon-esque figure." Snotlout said to Astrid who elbowed Snotlout in the face. Ruffnut drops Tuffnut with a punch to the throat.

"Wait." Astrid says, They freeze. A tail sweeps out of the fog, taking them down. Their buckets spill. Hiccup and Fishlegs see the puddles of spilled water.

"Oh, I'm hurt. I am very much hurt." Tuffnut rushes by, Ingrid joined Gobber looking down into the training ring, she spots Hiccup.

"Any luck?" She asked

"Not yet." Gobber answered

"Chances of survival are dwindling into single digits now..." Fishlegs whimpers.

"Look out!" Hiccup says, A Zippleback head emerges out of the smoke. Fishlegs hurls his water at it, completely dousing the head. It leers and opens its mouth, spewing gas into the area.

" Oh. Wrong head." Fishlegs mutters, gas flows around their legs. Fishlegs flees in a panic.

" Fishlegs!" Gobber said. A clicking sound comes from behind them. Sparks flash in the smoke. "Now, Hiccup!" The other head sweeps out of the smoke. Hiccup hurls his water with all his might. It arcs and drops short of the dragon's sparking mouth. The dragon grins, savoring the kill.

" Oh, come on!" Hiccup signed

"RUN, HICCUP!" Gobber covered his eyes. "Hiccup!." The Zippleback hesitates. sniffs. Then retreats. The teens get to their feet, watching transfixed. Gobber peeks through his fingers to see… The Zippleback backing away from Hiccup. He stands and holds his hands out, as if controlling it.

"BACK! BACK! BACK! Now don't you make me tell you again!" Hiccup told it, Ingrid looked impressed. She took out her note book. The Zippleback retreats through its door and into its cave, hissing. "Yes, that's right. Back into your cage. Hiccup slyly opens his vest, revealing the spotted smoked eel from earlier. He tooses it inside the door, then slams it shut. "Now think about what you've done." Hiccup turns to the teens and Gobber. They stare, slack-jawed "Okay! So are we done? Because I've got some things I need to..." Hiccup jogs out of the ring, past the speechless group "Yep...see you tomorrow." Astrid sneers, Something's going on.

Ingrid caught up with Hiccup, holding her note book.

"So, the Zippleback is also afraid of Eels... Could that all dragons fear them?" she asked

"If so, we have discovered a way to keep the dragons away from berk." Hiccup said

"But, do WE REALLY want to keep the dragons away now?" Ingrid looked at him, Hiccup sighed.

"I don't know, but I have an idea to help toothless." Hiccup smiled, Ingrid smiled too and nodded.

"I'll help." She told him

Ingrid cuts and stitches leather, Whilst Hiccup draws and shapes steel. They works by candlelight. They were building a harness, complete with handles and foot pedals.

The next day, the twins appears before Toothless, Hiccup holding the new prosthetic. Toothless runs off playfully, making Hiccup chases him down.

"Hey!" Hiccup called, Ingrid sat on a rock ready to take notes, she couldn't help laughing. Toothless and Hiccup zoom over the ocean, Ingrid waiting on the ground. The tail breaks free sending Hiccup flying.

Hiccup adjusts the harness and uses a metal clamp to affix himself to Toothless' saddle.

Hiccup and Toothless zip through the air - his rudimentary harness and tail controls are working, barely. They crash- land in an open field. Ingrid finds Hiccup, when they go to recover Toothless, he was rolling around in the tall grass.

Ingrid picked up a sample. Toothless writhes on his back, tongue wagging, in complete bliss. The twins smile at each other.

A Gronkle flies towards Hiccup in training, Hiccup looked at the Dragon nip - What Ingrid called the grass - and halt it to the Gronkle's nose. It immediately stops struggling and goes weak in the knees. Hiccup drops the handful of dragon-nip to the ground. The Gronkle goes down with it, whimpering and blissful. From Gobber and the recruits' point of view, Hiccup is controlling the Gronkle with no more than a limp arm. Only Ingrid knew the truth, she had given up on the training, she was busy taking notes, not that Gobber minded. Ingrid was a hiccup too, she was weak like him, but she was brave. All Gobber knew was that Ingrid wanted to update the book of Dragons.

The recruits walk home together, surrounding Hiccup and bombarded him with questions

"Hey Hiccup, I've never seen a Gronkle to that before." Fishlegs said

"How'd you do that?" Tuffnut asked.

"It was really cool. " Ruffnut agreed

"I left my axe back in the ring." He turns and hurries back. "You guys go on ahead and I'll catch up with you." Ingrid followed him. Astrid watches, suspicious.

Later on, Hiccup rubs Toothless behind the ear, causing him to relax, then scratches under his next causing him to pass out in bliss.

In the training ring an angry Deadly Nadder approaches Hiccup. Just as Astrid moves in to strike, Hiccup performs his special scratching technique, which sends the Nadder down. Astrid and the other kids look on from the sideline in amazement. Ingrid was next to Gobber writing away in a hurried fury.

Ingrid and Hiccup sit down at a table to eat. The other recruits notice him and move over to his table to talk to him - leaving Astrid alone. Ingrid smiled, her brothers luck was changing. "Hey Hiccup!" Fishlegs sat next to Ingrid, who looked at her food, trying not to look at him.

"What was that? Some kind of trick? What did you do?" Snotlout asked

"Hiccup, you're totally going to come in first, there's no question. "

Later, Ingrid is drawing more pictures of Toothless whilst Hiccup is using a mirror-like object to create a patch of light on the ground. Toothless claws and chases the light patch like a cat chasing a laser pointer. Ingrid and Hiccup smile at each other.

At Dragon training, a beam lifts from the door of another dragon pen. "Meet the Terrible Terror." Gobber announced. A tiny, pint-sized dragon steps out and moves toward the recruits.

"Ha. It's like the size of my-" Tuffnut is taken down in a blur. "Get it off! Get it off! Oh! I'm hurt, I am very much hurt!"

Hiccup stops the Terrible Terror with the same light-patch trick he used earlier with Toothless. The tiny dragon retreats back to it's cage. The teens approach him yet again as Astrid looks on with suspicion. "Wow, he's better than you ever were." Tuffnut said to Astrid that only burnt her fury brighter.

Moments later, Astrid furiously hurls her axe at a nearby tree. She notices Ingrid and Hiccup walking by in the distance, Hiccup was carrying one of his trademark harnesses. She quickly tries to follow, but they lose her in the woods. She huffs , frustrated.

Hiccup straps a newly designed harness onto Toothless. With Toothless tied to a nearby post with a rope. Hiccup rides him in the air - while stationary. Toothless looks like a giant kite tied to a tree stump. This harness seems to work. Ingrid was taking note of all the pedal positions. The rope breaks and the pair crash into a tree. Hiccup's face is red.

"Oh, great." Hiccup said, Ingrid and Hiccup sighed, he was stuck to Toothless. The streets are empty save for a lone Viking who crosses the twins path.

"Hiccup. Ingrid" He greeted the chiefs cjirldren. Ingrid smiles sweetly and innocently, while Hiccup nods, trying to look casual. Once the coast is clear, they covertly steers Toothless into the Blacksmith's stall. Toothless presses himself inside, rooting through stuff and making a racket. Astrid, walking nearby, is alerted.

"Hiccup?" Hiccup freeze. Then frantically tries to pry the ring off the saddle hook. It won't budge. "Are you in there?" Too late - she's right outside.

"Leave it to me." Ingrid whisperes as she spots Astrid's shadow walking along the outside of the Blacksmith's.

"Astrid. Hey! Hi Astrid. Hi Astrid." Ingrid says nervously. "Hi Astrid."

"I normally don't care what people do, but you and your brother are acting weird. Well, He's acting weirder then normal." Astrid told her, Ingrid says nothing. Toothless spots a nearby sheep and makes a move toward it. As a result there was a large crash, Hiccup grabds Ingrid's arm, causing her to get pulled though the shutters. They snap back in Astrid's face. Astrid reopens them and finds nothing but an empty stall. In the distance, Toothless, Hiccup and Ingrid slip off unseen.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 - Welcome home Stoick the Vast

At dawn, A lone, battered ship is pulled into a slip, overloaded with equally battered-looking men. They disembark to a crowd of onlookers, looking like a team of hometown heroes who just had their butts kicked. Gobber hobbles through the mumbling crowd to find Stoick - last to disembark and glowering with battered pride. "Where are the other ships?" Someone asked

"You don't want to know." Spitlout answered. Stoick lumbers past Gobber, leaving him staring at the trashed ship.

"Well, I trust you found the nest at least?" Gobber asked

"Not even close." Stoick said

"Ah. Excellent." Gobber follows Stoick up the ramp and snags his duffle bag with his hook appendage, sharing the burden.

"I hope you had a little more success than me." Stoick looked at him.

"Well, if by success, you mean that your parenting troubles are over with, then... yes." Gobber mutters, Stoick stops.

"What does that mean?" He asked, A group of merry villagers rush past.

"Congratulations Stoick! Everyone is so relieved." One said

"Out with the old and in with the new, right?!" another smiled

"No one will miss that old nuisance!"

"The village is throwing a party to celebrate!" Stoick is stunned, overwhelmed by the insensitivity. He turns to Gobber.

"He's... gone?" He asked

"Yeah...most afternoons. But who can blame him? I mean the life of a celebrity is very rough. He can barely walk through the village without being swarmed by his new fans." Gobber answers, Stoick is doubly confused.

"Hiccup?" Stoick asks

"Who would've thought, eh? He has this...way with the beasts." Gobber beams, Stoick looks thoughtful.

Toothless, Ingrid and Hiccup soar through a perfect blue sky. Billowing clouds rise like mountains. The ground seems miles below them. Ingrid holds onto Hiccup tightly.

"Okay there bud, we're gonna take this nice and slow." Hiccup checks a leather cheat sheet, clipped onto his harness. Inscribed upon it are several tail positions and their pedal position equivalents.

"Here we go. Here we go...position three." Hiccup mutters

"No, four." Ingrid points out, He nods and presses the pedal, causing the tail to flare. They roll off into an arcin bank, gloriously lit by the late afternoon sun. Hiccup tucks tight against his neck, thrilled that his new harness and vest are holding. The foot controls make the tail appendage quick and responsive. He watches Toothless' every fluctuation, trying to match it with the prosthetic. Hiccup sizes up a target - a towering arch of stone, rising from the sea. "Alright, it's go time. It's go time." They dive toward it, lining up to pass through the arch. "Come on. Come on buddy. Come on buddy!" They zip through the arch. A perfect maneuver.

"Yeah! Yes, it worked!" Ingrid smiled in relief, The triumph is short-lived. They smack into one of several sea stacks as Hiccup tries to keep up with the turns.

"Sorry." Hiccup said, They hurtle into another rock pillar. Toothless grumbles. "My fault." Toothless swats him with his 'ear' plate. "Yeah, yeah, I'm on it. Position four, no three." They pierce the clouds. For the first time, Hiccup and Ingrid can see the whole of the island below them. It shrinks with every passing second. Ingrind swallows hard and tightens her grip on hiccup. "Yeah! Go baby! Yes! Oh, this is amazing! The wind in my..." He spots the leather guide tearing free in the turbulence. "... CHEAT SHEET! STOP!" Hiccup grabs frantically for the airborne sheet "No!" ... and nabs it before it's carried out of reach. Toothless, however, obeys the command and suddenly stops beating his wings. As they slow to a stop, Hiccup goes weightless. The rings of his vest float off of the harness hooks. Hiccup suddenly finds himself detached, free-falling "Oh gods! Oh no!" Without Hiccup, the tail loses control. Hiccup and Toothless spiral downward. Toothless, With Ingrid holding on for dear life, fights to get back under Hiccup. "Alright, okay. You just gotta kinda angle yourself. No, no...come back down towards me. Come back down—" Hiccup extends his arms and legs, giving himself as much surface area as he can. He angles back towards Toothless as the tumbling dragon whacks Hiccup with his wing. After a few more misses, Hiccup finally grabs hold of the harness and manages to lock in - just in time to pull Toothless out of his dive... barely shy of the tree tops.

"I'm going to kill you Hiccup!" Ingrid growled as they careen past the wooded cliff and directly into a treacherous slalom course of jutting sea stacks. Hiccup pulls the cheat sheet from his teeth and attempts to check positions. It flaps violently in the turbulence, making it impossible. With no time to think, Hiccup throws it away and steers Toothless' tail on instinct... with perfect intuition. Together, they manage a tight, hair-rasing series of split- second turns, making it to the open water, unscathed. Hiccup takes a breath and glances back at the death-defying obstacle course, now safely behind them. He beams, relieved. Ingrid shaking, she takes a breath and nudges him. He just sits back and throws his arms up in victory.

"YEEAHHH!" He cheered, Toothless concurs with a happy cooing sound and a fireball. Hiccup's glee turn to dread as they fly directly into it. "Ah, come on."

Hiccup, Ingrid and Toothless lounge on a sprawling, deserted beach, snacking of freshly caught fish. As Hiccup cooks his over a fire, Toothless suddenly regurgitates a fish head. Hiccup smirks with forced politeness.

"Uh..no thanks." He gestures to his fish on a stick. "I'm good." Several Terrible Terrors land like seagulls, hissing and nipping at each other as they approach Toothless' pile of fish. One grabs the regurgitated fish head and drags it away. Another attempts to steal it from him. They face off and last fire balls at each other to settle the fight. Hiccup and Toothless watch, amused. That is until... Toothless spots one of his fish leaving the pile. A stealthy Terrible Terror is exposed as the thief. They tug on the fish, and it snaps back into Toothless' mouth. He swallows it back tauntingly. Irate, the little dragon paws at the ground and blast Toothless. He opens his mouth, the gas hiss comes, and Toothless fires a tiny flame straight into its mouth, causing the gas to backfire into the little dragon. It coughs up smoke and staggers away, looking ill. Hiccup laughs. "Not so fireproof on the inside, are you?" Hiccup throws the hapless Terror his freshly cooked fish. "Here you go." The appreciative little dragon gulps down the meal and approaches Hiccup cautiously. He curls up next to him. Hiccup is amazed. "Everything we know about you guys is wrong." Hiccup carefully pets him... sending the Terror into an immediate, blissful sleep.

Back at home, Hiccup was lost in thought, his head laid of a desk full of Toothless drawings. Burdened with the weight of the world. Suddenly, his father appears in the doorway. Hiccup jumps and quickly covers up his desk.

"Dad! You're back!" Hiccup skirts the bench, blocking Stoick's view of Toothless, the prosthetic fin, and other drawings. "Gobber's not here, so..." He strikes an awkwardly casual pose, trying to cover up as much as possible.

"I know. I came looking for you." Stoick said

"You did?" Hiccup asked, nervously

"You've been keeping secrets." Stoick said sternly. Hiccup's legs give out. He slides, dragging the table's contents with him.

"I...have?" Hiccup asked

" Just how long did you think you could hide it from me?"Stoick looked down at his son.

"I don't know what you're..." Hiccup began

"Nothing happens on this island without me hearing about it." Stouck told him

"Oh?" Hiccup felt lost, why did Ingrid agree to go through the book of Dragons with Fishlegs?

"So. Let's talk about that dragon." Blood drains from Hiccup's face.

"Oh gods. Dad I'm so sorry. I was going to tell you. I just didn't know how to-" Hiccup stammers, Stoick starts laughing. Big, booming. Hiccup stares, baffled. "You're not...upset?"

"What?! I was hoping for this!" Stoick smiled, Hiccup looked really surprised.

"Uh...you were?" He asked

"And believe me, it only gets better! Just wait til you spill a Nadder's guts for the first time. " Hiccup's elated expression sinks, as he gets his dad doesn't really know about Toothless. "And mount your first Gronckle head on a spear. What a feeling!" Stoick laughs and smacks Hiccup on the shoulder, sending him into the wall. "You really had me going there, son. All those years of the worst Viking Berk has ever seen! Odin, it was rough. I almost gave up on you!" Hiccup gets back up, grimacing in the irony of it all. "And all the while, you were holding out on me! Thor almighty!" Stoick grabs a stool and sits. His massive frame nearly fills the tiny room.

"Ahhhhh. With you doing so well in the ring, we finally have something to talk about." Stoick smiled, there was a pegnant pause, Hiccup averts his eyes nervously. Stoick adjusts, awkwardly clearing his throat. After a long, uncomfortable silence... "Oh, I... brought you something." He presents a horned helmet. "To keep you safe in the ring. "

"Wow. Thanks." Hiccup accepts it, looking it over.

Your mother would've wanted you to have it. It's half of her breast plate." Stoick taps his own helmet and smiled. "Matching set. Keeps her close, y'know?" Hiccup eyes the mismatched helmets, grimacing.

"Wear it proudly. You deserve it. You've held up your end of the deal." Stoick beams with pride. Hiccup squirms. He forces a yawn.

"I should really get to bed." Hiccup said

"Yes! Good! Okay. Good talk. See you back at the house. We should do this again. I'm Great. Thanks for stopping glad I stopped by, I hope you by. And for the... the uh, like the hat. breast hat." Hiccup and Stoick talked over each other.

"Well..uh..good night. " Stoick is about to leave the room, he looks at Hiccup. "Where's your Sister?"

"Reading the book of Dragons with Fishlegs. She has got a lot more information about dragons to add. She wanted to show you as soon as you got back." Hiccup said. Stoick nodded, then left the room awkwardly, leaving Hiccup looking more burdened than ever.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 - Secret out

A Gronckle hovers above the ring hunting victims as the teen recruits scramble. Astrid ducks behind a barrier to find Hiccup already there. She forces her axe at his throat. 

"Stay out of my way! I'm winning this thing. " Astrid growled, Ingrid saw her an narrowed her eyes.

"Please, by all means." Hiccup said, She darts off, closing in on the dragon. The crowd above cheers her on. 

"You got it Astrid!" A viking cheered. Hiccup stands and looks around. Amidst the crowd of onlookers, Stoick watches keenly, beaming with pride. He locks eyes with Hiccup, giving him a nod of encouragement. Hiccup adjusts his new helmet and forces a half-hearted smile. Unbeknownst to Hiccup, the Gronckle spots him and makes a bee-line toward him. 

As she catches her breath behind a barrier. Astrid scowls, focused, determined. "This time. This time for sure." She mutters to herself. With a fierce battle-cry she leaps from cover, axe cocked to throw. "Aaaaaaaaaa... " And as she clears the barriers, she sees that Hiccup has already laid the Gronckle out. "...aaaaaaauGGGGGHHHHHHHH! No! No!" Hiccup shrugs, as unhappy with the situation as she is. **"NO! NO! SON OF HALFTROLL RAT EATING MUNGE BUCKET!"** A loud CLACK ring out. From the crowd above, Gothi, the village elder, steps forward, tapping her staff. Everyone lights up excitedly. 

**"**Wait! Wait!" Stoick caled, everyone fell quiet.

"So, later." Gobber snags Hiccup as he attempts to leave. Ingrid sighed, she already knew Gothi's choice. She snuck off, she was going to Toothless. 

"Not so fast." ** Gobber told him **

"I'm kinda late for-" **Hiccup began**

"What? Late for what exactly?" Astrid growled, livid, she halt her axe under his throat. Stoick holds out his hands to silence the jabbering crowd. 

"Okay quiet down. The elder has decided." Stoick called. Thrilled, Gobber stands behind Hiccup and Astrid. He points to Astrid as the crowd waits in silent anticipation. Gothi shakes her head 'no.' The crowd 'Oooohs.' Gobber then points to Hiccup. The elder nods an affirmative 'yes.' The crowd erupts in cheers. Astrid turns a seething, deadly glare on Hiccup.

"You've done it! You've done it, Hiccup! You get to kill the dragon!" Gobber cheered.

"Ha, ha! That's my boy!" Stoick smiled proudly. Hiccup is hoisted onto the recruits' shoulders and carried out to the cheering spectators...

Hiccup smiled, masking his panic "Heh, heh. Oh yeah! Yes! I can't wait. I am so..." Hiccup carries a basket into the cove. "... leaving. We're leaving. Let's pack up. Looks like you and me are taking a little vacation, forever. " Toothless is nowhere in sight. Hiccup sets down his basket and opens it up, his head clouded with troubles. "Oh..man..." SHINK! Hiccup looks up to the sound of... Astrid, sitting on the rock right in front of him, sharpening her axe. "Aggh! What the- What are you doing here?" Hiccup asked. She hops off the rock and back him down, spinning her axe threateningly. Hiccup's eyes dart around nervously, searching for Toothless.

"I want to know what's going on. No one just gets as good as you do. Especially you. Start talking! Are you training with someone?" Astrid asks, glaring at him.

"Uh...training?" Hiccup repeated. She grabs him by his odd-looking harness.

"It better not involve... this." Astrid pulls on his odd looking harness

" I know this looks really bad, but you see...this is, uh..." Hiccup stammers, they hear a rustle coming from the other side of the cove. Astrid dropd Hiccup to the ground and sets off to investigate.

"You're right! You're right. I'm through with the lies. I've been making... outfits. So you got me. It's time everyone knew. Drag me back. Go ahead. Here we go." He puts her hand back on his harness, getting her to 'drag him back.' Astrid bends Hiccups hand backwards, driving him down. "AAAAUUGGGHHH! Why would you do that?!"

"That's for the lies. " Astrid pounces the hilt of her axe off of Hiccup's laid-out body. "And THAT'S for everything else. Hiccup's yelp is answered with a growl coming from the other side of the cove. Astrid looks up to see... A NIGHT FURY. Toothless pounces toward them, snarling.

"Oh man." Hiccup mutters feebly, she dives onto Hiccup. "

Get down! Run! Run!" Astrid pulls her axe, ready to take on Toothless.

"No!" Hiccup said knocks Astrid's cocked axe to the ground, out of reach, then stops Toothless short of crushing her. "No. It's okay! It's okay..." Toothless pulls up short and lands hard, spraying Astrid with sand.

"Oh, man..." Ingrid was behind Toothless.

"She's a friend." Hiccup told the drago, Toothless snorts in disagreement. Astrid is frozen. Toothless looks from her to Hiccup and back to her, confused. "You just scared him." Hiccup told Astrid

"I scared him!?" Hiccup pats Toothless muzzle. "Who is him?"

"Astrid, Toothless. Toothless, Astrid. " Hiccup introduced them, Astrid backs away, eyeing Hiccup and Toothless together with pure disgust. She turns and runs for the village.

"We're dead." Hiccup sighed, satisfied with Astrid's departure, Toothless turns away. "Where do you think you're going?"

Astrid races through the trees. A large shadow overtakes her. She is suddenly snatched into the air. Astrid screams .

"Oh great Odin's ghost, this is it!" Astrid crys. Ingrid, Hiccup and Toothless fly Astrid to the top of a towering pine. It bows and creaks under their weight as Astrid dangles a hundred feet in the air. "Hiccup! Get me down from here!"

"You have to give me a chance to explain." Hiccup said

"I'm not listening to ANYTHING you have to say!" Astrid growled.

"Then I won't speak. Just let me show you." Hiccup extends a hand.

"Please, Astrid." Ingrid asked. Astrid eyed them and the dragon, then the ground far, far below. After a moment, she swats Hiccup's outstretched hand away and reluctantly climbs over the pedal, lines, and harness. She settles behind Hiccup but in front of Ingrid, avoiding as much contact as possible.

"Now get me down." Astrid said

"Toothless? Down. Gently. " Toothless leers mischievously. He spreads his wings slowly. With a whop , they fill with the updraft. Toothless releases the tree, tucks in his legs, and hovers in place. "See? Nothing to be afraid of." Toothless suddenly luances straight upward. Astrid and Ingrid scream. The acceleration is tremendous. Every downbeat bucks the saddle, heaving them into the sky, doubling their speed like a rocket. Astrid is thrown backward into Ingrid . Astrid screamd and hugs Hiccup for dear life, squeezing the breath out of him.

"Toothless! What is wrong with you?! Bad dragon!" Ingrid yelled

"He's not usually like this. Oh no..." Hiccup said. Toothless rolls and plummets toward the coastline far below. Astrid screams. Toothless rockets over the ocean waves, deliberately dipping them in the froth. "Toothless, what are you doing?! We need her to like us!" Toothless rockets skyward and begins tumbling head over tail. "And now the spinning. Thank you for nothing you useless reptile." Astrid clamps her hand over her eyes.

"Okay! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Just get me off of this thing." Astrid is defeated, her aggressive energy gone. Satisfied, Toothless relents. They level off and head up into the clouds. Astrid opens her eyes again, and looks out over a world she'd never dreamed of. She reaches out and touches clouds, pierces columns ablaze in golden hues, and floats over a vast, alien sky-scape. Her terror is replaced by wonder. She grins, despite herself. Toothless rises above a blanket of cloud and levels off under a starry sky. They emerge from a blanket of clouds under the dancing Northern Lights, shimmering in ribbons across the vast sky. Below them, Berk's torches flicker in the inky darkness. The new perspective is breathtaking. Astrid tucks her arms into Hiccup's vest, burying her chin into his shoulder. The moment is not lost on either of them, Ingrid rolls her eyes smiling. Hiccup smiles nervously. Toothless climbs past Berk's tallest peaks and heads out over open water, leaving the village lights behind them.

"Alright I admit it. This is pretty cool. It's... amazing. He's amazing." Astrid carefully reaches down and pats Toothless' side. "So what now? " Hiccup groans. It's a problem without an answer. "Hiccup, your final exam is tomorrow. You know you're going to have to kill..." Astrid lowered her voice. "... kill a dragon."

"Don't remind me. " Hiccup sighed. A strange, unearthly din approaches. Toothless' ear plates suddenly stand on end. Panicked, he abruptly dives, dipping into cloud cover.

"Toothless! What's happening? What is it?" Ingrid asked, Toothless barks at her. 'Quiet!' Suddenly, out of the dense cloud, a Monstrous Nightmare emerges. "Get down!" Hiccup and Astrid duck. The Nightmare calls out. A Zippleback appears to the other side of Toothless, boxing him in.

"What's going on?" Astrid asks

"I don't know." Hiccup admits


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 - The Dragon's nest and the hiccup

"Toothless. You've got to get us out of here, bud." Hiccup told him Toothless HISSES. Other dragons, previously invisible in the thick clouds, appear all around them. HUNDREDS of them, all carrying fish and game in their talons. "It looks like they're hauling in their kill." Hiccup muttered. The Zippleback eyes them ravenously.

"What does that make us?" Astrid asked

"I don't understand..." Hiccup and Astrid looked at Ingrid who was sitting up right.

"What's not to understand?" Astrid growls.

"If that is their kill... Why does it look like they haven't eaten before. If this was THEIR kill, they would have eaten by now..." Ingrid said, suddenly the dragons bank and dive in formation, plummeting through the thickening fog and weaving between towering, craggy sea stacks. They emerge at the base of a massive volcanic caldera, glowing with rivulets of lava. The flock of dragons fall into rank, funneling through a crack, and zipping through a winding tunnel. It gives way to a vast, steamy inner chamber, tiered with pocky shelves. Dragons of all breeds lay about, nested in hordes, Ingrid took out her note book and began documenting the place, drawing it. The arriving dragons fly in, dropping the fish and game into a central pit, glowing red and shrouded in mist. Hiccup is amazed.

"What our dad wouldn't give to find this." Hiccup said, Toothless peels away from the procession, landing on a small shadowy shelf to keep a low-profile. Hiccup and Astrid peek around, taking in the busy hive of sorts. They watch as the food continues to be dropped into the pit. "It's satisfying to know that all of our food has been dumped down a hole." Hiccup Said

"They're not eating any of it." Astrid muttered. Last to arrive is a dim-witted Gronckle. It hovers over the pit and regurgitates his paltry contribution - a pathetic little fish. As it falls into the steamy pit, a terrible ROAR rings out. The Gronckle tries to flee, but before it can, a gargantuan dragon head juts from the steamy pit and SNAPS it out of the air. Swallowing it back whole. Hiccup, Ingrid and Astrid recoil, terrified. "What is that?" The monstrous beast SNIFFS the air, seemingly aware of them. It nears the ledge where Toothless is hiding... and ROARS. Several dragons take flight in fear.

"Alright buddy, we gotta get out of here. Now!" Hiccup said, Toothless takes flight, barely evading the monster's snapping jaws. The behemoth dragon lunges for them, snatching a Zippleback out of the air instead. Toothless disappears into the winged exodus as thousands of dragons flee the caldera in fear.

Toothless glides into the cove and touches down on the moonlit beach.

"No, no, it totally makes sense. It's like a giant beehive. They're the workers... and that's their queen. It controls them." Astrid said, Hiccup and Ingrid watched as she leaps off of Toothless and runs toward the village. "Let's find your dad."

"No, no! Not yet. They'll... kill Toothless." Hiccup told her

"Astrid, we have to think this through carefully." Ingrid said. Astrid eyes them, incredulous.

"Hiccup, we just discovered the dragons' nest...the thing we've been after since Vikings first sailed here. And you want to keep it a secret? To protect your pet dragon? Are you serious?" Astrid looked at them. Hiccup stands firm, resolute.

"Yes." The Twins said

"Mostly, Hiccup. I am not a fan of Toothless's fancy flying." Ingrid added. Astrid's taken aback.

"Okay." Astrid says "Then what do we do?"

"Just give me until tomorrow. I'll figure something out." Hiccup told her

"Okay." Astrid punches Hiccup in the arm. "That's for kidnapping me." Hiccup looks to Toothless and Ingrid for support. Toothless snorts, dismissive and Ingrid shruggs. Astrid grabs him. He braces for another hit. She kisses Hiccup on the cheek. "That's for, everything else." In the awkward wake of the moment, Astrid hurries off... leaving Hiccup rubbing his cheek, stunned. Toothless hobbles up, The dragon and Ingrid looked at him.

"what are you looking at?" He asked, blushing. Ingrid chuckles.

The grounds have been transformed. Banners and flags flap in the morning sun. Surrounding the ring, a festive crowd had gathered. All of Berk has turned out for the event.

"Well, I can show my face in public again." Stoick said to the village There was laughter and cheering. "If someone had told me that in a few short weeks, Hiccup would go from being, well... Hiccup, to placing first in dragon training...I would've tied him to a mast and shipped him off for fear he'd gone mad. Yes! And you know it! But here we are. And no one's more surprised..." Hiccup stands outside the gate looking down. "... or more proud than I am. Today, my boy becomes a Viking. TODAY, HE BECOMES ONE OF US!" His speech was followed by more cheers and roars. Ingrid and Astrid approaches Hiccup.

"Be careful with that dragon." Astrid told him, Ingrid sighed.

"It's not the dragon I'm worried about." Hiccup sighed

"What are you going to do?" Astrid asked

"Put an end to this." hiccup answers, She eyes him, dubious. "I have to try. Astrid. If something goes wrong... just help Ingrid make sure they don't find Toothless.

"I will. Just promise me it won't go 'wrong.'" Astrd promises, Hiccup can't. Gobber approaches.

"It's time, Hiccup. Knock him dead." Gobber smiled, Hiccup puts his helmet on and enters the ring. The other teens are hooting and holloring from the stands.

"Show 'em how it's done, my man!" Tuffnut cheers. Hiccup locks eyes with Stoick. Stoick nods with a smile. Hiccup returns a half-smile. Takes a deep breath. He hoists a shield onto his forearm and selects his weapon from a rack of many - a small dagger.

"Hrmph. I would've gone for the hammer myself." stoick mutters. Ingrid stands beside Astrid, she holds the gate to the ring. Hiccup turns to face a bolted, heavy door. Takes a deep breath.

"I'm ready." The door bolt is raised. The crowd grows quiet...BOOM! The doors blast open with a stream of sticky fire. Followed by a Monstrous Nightmare, coated in flames. It tears out of its cave like an irate bull - as the crowd roars and climbs the walls and chain enclosure like a bat, hissing at the provoking crowd and blasting fire. It spots Hiccup and descends, leering and licking the flaming drool from its lips. The crowd grows silent, bracing for the big fight. With the Monstrous Nightmare's eyes locked upon him, Hiccup deliberately drops his shield and dagger stepping away from them. The dragon pauses, confused. The crowd was also confused.

"What is he doing?" Stoick mutters.

"He did that when we first met Toothless up close." Ingrid muttered to Astrid, she gave a weak smile. "We never did find his knife in that lake." The dragon presses closer, snorting. Hiccup extends his openhand. It snarls.

"It's okay. It's okay." The dragon continues to pace, focused on... Hccup's Helmet. Hiccup realizes, then reaches up and removes it. Taking a breath to acknowledge the point of no return, he tosses the helmet aside. It hits the ground. " I'm not one of them. Gasps and murmurs race through the crowd. Stoick galres at hiccup, as all eyes turn to him. He's welling with upset. Hiccup avoids Stoick's glare and remains focused on the Nightmare, holding his hand out. It paces around him, calming down.

"Stop the fight." Stocik said

"No. I need you all to see this." hiccup said, The crowd gets restless. "They're not what we think they are. We don't have to kill them."

"I SAID STOP THE FIGHT!" Stoick roared, Ingrid flinched. Stoick whacks his hammer against the iron enclosure, rattling the arena with a terrible reverberating clatter. Spooked, the Nightmare snaps at Hiccup's outstretched hand. Hiccup yelps and springs backward. The spell is broken. The Nightmare reacts to Hiccup's sudden movements and blasts another stream of fire. Hiccup screams and barely dives out of reach. Hiccup scrambles around the ring. The Nightmare pursues, snapping and springing from ground to wall. Stoick pushes through the crowd, rushing to the doorway.

"Out of my way!" Stocik said

"Hiccup!" Astrid wedges her axe under the arena gate and squeezes through with Ingrid not far behind. A narrow stream of fire narrowly avoids Hiccup as he continues to dash around the ring, evading the Monstrous Nightmare. Desperate, he goes to the weapon rack in an attempt to arm himself, but the Nightmare quickly destroys the rack and closes in on him. Stoick wrenches the grated door to the arena and jumps through. The Monstrous Nightmare is only a few feet behind Hiccup. Astrid is now in the ring with Ingrid, She picks up a hammer and hurls it at the Monstrous Nightmare, hitting it in the head. It turns its attention to Astrid, and begins chasing her, Ingrind rushes to Hiccup.. Stoick raises the arena gate, waving her toward it.

"This way!" Stocik said, Astrid makes it through, but the Nightmare blasts the doorway, cutting Hiccup off. It pounces on him and prepares to finish him off. Suddenly, a terrible roar pierces the din.

"Night Fury! Get down!" Toothless bounds over the crowd and blasts a hole through the chain enclosure. He flies through it and disappears in the boiling smoke. The Vikings rush to railings... in time to see a flurry of wings cutting through the dissipating smoke. Toothless and the Nightmare tumble into the clear, locked in a toothy, vicious fight. Toothless kicks the Nightmare off and plants himself between Hiccup, Ingrid and it.

"Toothless." Ingrid says quietly. The Nightmare snarls, circling them. Toothless lunges and roars... causing the Nightmare to relent and back away. To everyone's shock and horror, Hiccup gets to his feet and grabs Toothless protectively.

"Alright, Toothless, go. Get out of here!" Hiccup tries to push him away. The crowd is gob-smacked, growing livid.

" Night Fury!" The crown yell. Hiccup tries to shoo Toothless away in vain. Vikings begin pouring clambering through the enclosure and dropping into the ring. "Go! GO!"

"Take it alive!" A Viking yells, Stoick grabs an axe and charges into the arena. Astrid calls out to him, panicked.

"Stoick no!" Astrid calls

"Dad! No! He won't hurt you!" Hiccup yells, The other Vikings surround and attack Toothless. He tosses them aside like rag dolls, his eyes focused on Stoick.

"No, don't! You're only making it worse!" Ingrid tries to get into the crowd to help Toothless, but fails. Stoick raises his hammer as he charges for Toothless. Toothless ducks and pounces on him. They tumble end over end.

"Toothless! STOP!" Hccup yelled as Toothess pins Stoick and inhales. The familiar hiss of gas builds. Everyone braces...

"NO!" The twins cried together, Toothless swallows back the blast and turns to them, not understanding.

"Get him!" A Viking yelled, The crowd rushes him, piling on, and taking Toothless down. Astrid holds Hiccup and Ingrid back.

"No! Please...just don't hurt him. Please don't hurt him. " Hiccup begged, Ingrid was close to tears. Stoick gets to his feet, fuming, shaken. A Viking presents Stoick with an axe. He eyes Toothless a moment, then pushes the axe back into the Viking's hands.

"Put it with the others!" Stoick said, His burning glare turn to Hiccup and Ingrid.

Ingrid and Hiccup were shoved into the dank, dimmed hall. SLAM! The massive doors rattle and echo. Stoick pushes past him. He paces against a backdrop of shadowy tapestries and carved pillars - a legacy of heroes, all peering down in angered judgement.

"I should have known. I should have seen the signs." Stoick growled

"Dad." hiccup said, Ingrid remaind silent.

"We had a deal!" Stoick turned to him, Stoick pauses to say something, but stops short. He snorts and resumes pacing, repeating the cycle.

"I know we did... but that was before... ughh, it's all so messed up." Hiccup sighed

"So everything in the ring. A trick? A lie?" He stomps toward Hiccup. Stops short and points, fighting back words.

"No, Father. By becomign friends with him, we learnt more about Dragons then you did killing or trapping them!" Ingrid said,

"I know I screwed up. I should have told you before now. Take this out on me, be mad at me, but please... just don't hurt Toothless." Hiccup begged

"The dragon? That's what you're worried about? Not the people you almost killed?!" Stocik fumed

"He was just protecting me! He's not dangerous." Hiccup told him

"They've killed HUNDREDS OF US!" Stoick roared

"And we've killed THOUSANDS OF THEM! They defend themselves, that's all! They raid us because they have to!" Hiccup argued

"If they don't bring enough food back, they'll be eaten themselves." Ingrid added "There's something else on their island dad...it's a dragon like-"

"-Their island?" He stomps back... pointing an accusing finger. "So you've been to the nest."

"Did I say nest?" Ingrid shrunk away, terrified. Hiccup goes silent - knowing she said too much.

"How did you find it?!" Stoick asked

"No... I didn't. Toothless did. Only a dragon can find the island." Hiccup said, Stoick glares. A moment passes, then an idea takes form on his face. His eyes flare. Hiccup watches, realizing. Stoick stomps toward the doorway.

"Oh no. No, Dad. No." Hiccup chases after him, panicked.

"Dad. It's not what you think. You don't know what you're up against. It's like nothing you've ever seen." Ingrid copies, they grabs Stoick by the arm, tugging with all their might. They has no effect whatsoever.

"Dad. Please. I promise you that you can't win this one." Hiccup begged

"No. Dad. No. For once in your life, WOULD YOU PLEASE JUST LISTEN TO US?!" Suddenly, He throws Hiccup and Ingrid off of him, swatting them to the floor. Icy stillness. They stares back, stunned.

"You've thrown your lot in with them. You're not Vikings. You're not my kids." Stoick pushes through the door, leaving the twins alone, devastated.

"Ready the ships!" Stoick called, Ingrid bowed her head hiding tears, Hiccup watch her sadly. Stoick staggers on the steps, breaking inside.

Broken-down catapults and trebuchets are bundled up and lowered from the cliffs. Below on the docks, Vikings load the heavy artillery into the hulls of awaiting ships. Children and the elderly gather to on the walkways to wave apprehensive farewells to the departing warriors. Lastly, Toothless is loaded aboard Stoick's ship, chained down to a palette, muzzled, and restrained with a weighty neck ring. He looks exhausted, miserable.

Stoick crosses to the bow as the ship pushes off and joins the amassed armada of ships adrift in the harbor. Stoick's brow is furrowed, all warmth drained away. He turns west and glares at the horizon with cold determination.

"Set sail! We head for Helheim's Gate." Stoick calls, he then notices the twins watching from his familiar cliff-side perch beyond the village. Their eyes meet, full of hurt and regret. Hiccup slowly shakes his head in warning, Whilst Ingrid holds her hands to her heart. Stoick breaks the stare and turns to Toothless, fuming. "Lead us home, Devil."

The twins stood watching. He's powerless to stop what is happening, but won't leave.

later that day, they were still standing there. The ships have cleared the horizon. Astrid comes up behind them. She approaches cautiously and stands beside him in silence.

"It's a mess."She said, they don't respond. "You must feel horrible. You've lost everything. Your father, your tribe, your best friend."

"Thank you for summing that up." Hiccup sighed. "Why couldn't I have killed that dragon when I found him in the woods. It would have been better for everyone.

"Yep. The rest of us would have done it." Astrid looks at him "So, why didn't you?" Hiccup just shakes his head - he really doesn't know. Astrid's eyes glimmer. She wants something. "Why didn't you?"

"I don't know. I couldn't." Hiccup sighed

"That's not an answer."

"Why is this so important to you all of a sudden?"

"Because I want to remember what you say right now."

"Oh for the love of - I was a coward! I was weak. I wouldn't kill a dragon."

"You said 'wouldn't' that time."

"Whatever! I wouldn't! Three hundred years and I'm the first Viking who wouldn't kill a dragon!"

"First to ride one, though." Astrid added after a while. Hiccup blinks. He never looked at it that way before. "So..."

"...I wouldn't kill him because he looked as frightened as I was. I looked at him and I saw myself." Hiccup said, Astrid turns to face the open sea.

"I bet he's really frightened now." She looks at him with a strange look, Ingrid notices it and suddenly realises what she was about to do. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Probably something stupid." Hiccup muttered

"Good..." Astrid began

"But we've already done that." Ingrid said. Hiccup suddenly look like he had an idea.

"Then something crazy." Hiccup races off. Astrid smiles.

"That's more like it." Astrid chuckled, Ingrid smiled and they ran after Hiccup.

The armada coasts toward a shroud of heavy fog, hung like drapes from a low-hanging, ominous ships enter, one by one. Visibility drops immediately. Flanking ships becomes ghosts. The armada disappears, drawn into the blinding mist. Complete whiteout. Nothing remains but the eerie creaking of wood on water. Stoick stood at the bow of his ship. He taps his fingers on the gunwale, then looks back at Toothless impatiently. Weighed down with chains, Toothless seems unresponsive.

"Sound your positions. Stay within earshot." Stoick called, Shouts pour in from all directions.

"Here."

"One length to your stern."

"On your starboard flank."

"Three widths to port."

"Ahead, at your bow."

"Haven't a clue." Stick began straining into the fog as the calls continue. Massive, jagged sea stacks begin to emerge, threatening to rip the ships to shreds. Gobber approaches him, speaking under his breath.

"Listen... Stoick... I was overhearing some of the men just now and, well, some of them are wondering what it is we're up to here - not me of course, I know you're always the man with the plan - but some, not me, are wondering if there is in fact a plan at all,what it might be?" Gobber said

"Find the nest and take it." Stoick answered simply.

"Ah. Of course. Send them running. The old Viking fall-back. Nice and simple." Gobber nodded

"Shhh." Stoick noticed that Toothless' ear plates are at the alert, quietly reacting to inaudible sounds. Stoick crosses to the stern of the ship and grabs the tiller, moving the helmsman out of the way. "Step aside." Stoick pulls the ship into a turn, covertly following Toothless' head movements. The ship barely misses a jagged outcrop that suddenly appears out of the soupy fog.

"Bear to port." The order is called out from ship to ! The bow barely makes it past another sea stack. Stoick continues to follow Toothless' cues, undeterred.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 - The Red death

Hiccup raises the bolt on the Monstrous Nightmare's pen.

"If you're planning on getting eaten, I'd definitely go with the Gronckle." Hiccup turns to see his fellow recruits, watching him with folded arms. Tuffnut steps forward with a scowl.

"You were wise to seek help from the world's most deadly weapon." Tuffnut said. "It's me."

"Uh..." Hiccup was confused

"I love this plan." snotlout smiled going up to him

"I didn't..."

"You're crazy." Ruffnut said, she smiled "I like that." she added

"So? What is the plan?" Astrid asks, Ingrid stood by Hiccup's side, he smiles, glowing in the support of his friends.

The ships follow in line through the gauntlet of rocks as orders are whispered from ship to ship. A dragon head looms out of the fog. The men recoil... only to discover that it's a wrecked ship, impaled high on a gnarled sea stack.

"Ah. I was wondering where that went." Gobber muttered, A clicking buzz becomes audible, growing louder. It fills the sky, converging in one general direction. Stoick sniffs the air.

"Stay low and ready your weapons." Stoick's ship suddenly JERKS to a halt as the keel burrows into shallow black sand. Stoick hops overboard, landing on a sprawling beach. The buzzing suddenly stops. Above him, a craggy volcano towers into the gloom. "We're here." Behind him, several dragon-headed bows pierce the fog.

Hiccup steps back from the door, drawing the Monstrous Nightmare out of its cave. It snorts, stepping into the ring, calmed by Hiccup's outstretched hand - focused on him. the others are bewildered, in awe. Snotlout nervously reaches for a spear laying near his foot. Astrid stops him.

"Uh-uh." she corrected him, Hiccup slows to a stop in front of the teens, with the Nightmare inches from his outstretched hand. He reaches over and grabs Snotlout's trembling hand.

"Wait! What are you..." Snotlout asked, panicing, Ingrid tried not to laugh as she worked on opening the other dragons

"Relax. It's okay... it's okay." Hiccup reasured him. Hiccup replaces his outstretched hand with Snotlout's, putting him in control of the massive beast. The Nightmare snorts, but remains calm. Snotlout, by contrast, chuckles nervously - it's at once terrifying and amazing. The others watch, spellbound. Hiccup turns and walks away.

"Where are you going?!" Snotlout asked, Hiccup pulls a bundle of rope from a supply box.

"You're going to need something to help you hold on." Hiccup explained, The teens eye each other apprehensively, and look up to see all the dragons standing in the ring, facing the teens expectantly. Ingrid was petting the Zippleback and the Gronkle.

On the Dragon Island, Tree trunks were being sharpened and planted into the sand at angled rows. Boulders being loaded into catapult baskets. And a war plan being scratched in the sand. Stoick looms over it, looking determined. His generals are at his sides.

"When we crack this mountain open, all hell is going to break loose." Stoick said

"In my undies. Good thing I brought extras." Gobber said seriously, Stoick turns to face the men.

"No matter how this ends, it ends today." He walks toward the base of the volcano wall, back by several hundred warriors. He raises his arm and drops it. A line of catapults uneleash their two-ton loads into the cliff wall. It cracks and flakes away. Several more hits tear away at the hollow shell of hardened lava. A final boulder shatters the fractured wall, creating a deep, dark opening to the cavern within. Silence. Stock raises his hand, makes a gesture. A flaming bushel is launched into the dark, lighting the wall... choked with dragons. Stoick pulls his hammer and rushes into the cave, brazen. Stoick gives a war cry and hurries into the cave. In a chaotic flurry, the dragons suddenly rush out like bats from a cave. The take to the air, bypassing the axe-swinging Vikings and fleeing the island in a mass exodus. The battle-ready Vikings drop their weapons, confused.

"Is that it?" Gobber asked, Above the island, dragons pour from every crevice, fleeing to the sky. The sound of screeching dragons fades. The vikings cheer.

"We've done it!" Spitelout cheered. Stoick doesn't celebrate. Something is not right. He hears something. Stoick turns to peer down the dark throat of the cavern. A deep, rumbling roar echoes from the cavern. The ground underfoot trembles. The ships rock. Their sails fill with a blast of air. The cheering stops. Stoick's expression sinks.

"This isn't over. Form your ranks! Hold together!" SToick said, The men scramble to organize themselves. "Get clear!" The ground cracks. Stone tears away, cascading like an avalanche. And through the settling debris, the silhouette of a gargantuan dragon emerges - THE RED DEATH. Stirred and furious.

"Beard of Thor...what is that?" Gobber asked

"Odin help us." Stocik gasped "Catapults!" The Vikings score direct hits. The burning stones bounce off the dragon's skin. The Red Death focuses on the catapults. It crushes the first one - smashing it and its crew, rattling the beach races toward the second catapult. He leaps and pushes a Viking out of the way just before the dragon crushes him under his forepaw. The Vikings scramble in all directions.

"Get to the ships!" A viking yelled

"No! NO!" Stoick yelled, The Red Death blasts the ships like a mile-long flamethrower. The sails are torched. Vikings dive overboard and masts come Joins Stoick.

"I was a fool." Stoick said, guilt-ridden, Hiccup and Ingrid were right... The monster raises its head to the sky and bellows. The sound shakes the beach, knocking Vikings off their feet. This island is his. Stoick stops a Viking General. "Lead the men to the far side of the island." he said

"Right." Spitelout turns to the others. "Everybody to the far side of the island!" The Vikings scatter into the rocks like ants. Satisfied with the ships destruction, The Red Death turns its attention back to the Vikings. They seem to have vanished. It sniffs the air, searching for their scent. Gobber drops in beside Stoick, like two soldiers in a trench. Fire blasts over head, causing them to duck.

"Gobber, go with the men." Stoick told him

"I think I'll stay, just in case you're thinking of doing something crazy." Gobber said,Stoick grabs him.

"I can buy them a few minutes if I give that thing someone to hunt." Stoick explained, Gobber removes Stoick's hand. Clenches his forearm, determined.

"Then I can double that time." Gobber answers, Stoick grins. Friends to the bitter end. They break cover and dash into the open, splitting up. Stoick rips a sharpened post from the ground and hurls it into the monster's face.

"HERE!" Stoick yells

"NO, HERE!" Gobber said, equally loud. It spots both of them. He fuels up to fire, glancing back and forth between the two men. He focuses on Stoick."Come on! Fight me!" "

No, me!" Stoick says, The Red Death remains focused on Stoick - this is it. It rears back and inhales. Gas begins to amass, when...KABLAM! A BLAST explodes against the back of The Red Death's head. It turns distracted, as... ... a Nadder punches through the flames, banking across the sky. Followed by a Monstrous Nightmare, a Zippleback, and a Gronckle. They roll in unison, revealing the recruits riding on their backs. Hiccup leads, with Astrid clinging to his waist. Ingrid was on the Nightmare with Snotlout. Gobber and Stocik watch slack-jawed, in awe.

"Ruff, Tuff, watch your backs! Move Fishlegs!" Hiccup calls. The monster shakes off the blast and snaps in their wake. Hiccup directs his squadron out of harm's way. They climb out of reach and circle each other.

"Look at us, we're on a dragon! We're on dragons, all of us!" Tuffnut cheered

"Up, let's move it!" Hiccup said, The dragons climb past the Red Death. Gobber hobbles over to Stoick.

"Every bit the boar-headed, stubborn Viking you ever were." Gobber told him. Stoick is speechless as the group circles over the dragon's head.

"Fishlegs, break it down." Hiccup said

"Okay. Heavily armored skull and tail made for bashing and clear of both." Fishlegs said

"Small eyes, large nostrils. Relies on hearing and smell." Ingrid finished

"Okay. Lout, Legs, hang in its blind spot. Make some noise, keep it confused. Ruff, Tuff, find out if it has a shot limit. Make it mad." Hiccup said, the Gronkle got close to Hiccup and Astrid, so Ingrid could go with them.

"That's my specialty." Ruff smiled

"Since when? Everyone knows I'm more irritating. See." Tuff makes an irritaing sound, whilst turning the poor Zipplebacks head upside down.

"Just do what I told you. I'll be back as soon as I can." Hiccup said

"Don't worry, we got it covered!" tuff said

"Yeah!" Fishlegs nodded, Ingrid, Hiccup and Astrid peel away. The teens bank and dive toward the monster, splitting up. The Twins race alongside the monster's head, taunting it.

"Troll!" Tuff jeered

"Butt Elf!" Ruff said

"Bride of Grendel!" Tuff laughed, The Red Death unloads a spray of fire at the twins. They barely dodge it. Fishlegs and Snotlout hang behind its eyes, banging away at their shields, making a Red Death opens all SIX of its eyes, spotting them.

"Uh, this thing doesn't have a blind spot." Fishlegs panicked. Meanwhile,Hiccup,Ingrid and Asrtid were searching for Toothless. Hiccup spots him among the burning ships.

"There!" He steers the Nadder over the deck and hands Astrid the reins. He lines up his jump... and hops off, guarding his face from the flames. He lands on the burning deck, Ingrid quickly follows.

"Go help the others!" hiccup told Astrid.

"Good luck!" Ingrid added as Astrid and the Nadder take off. The twins fight way to Toothless. Hiccup unbuckles the muzzle. Toothless shrieks.

"Okay, hold on. Hold on." He began to help Ingrid, who had start to work on the chains.

Fishlegs and Snotlout clang their weapons against their shields clang their weapons against their shields, making the monster wince.

"It's working."Snotlout cheered, The huge beast starts to sway its head dizzily.

"Yeah! It's working." They didn't notice that the noise is also confusing the Gronckle and the Monstrous Nightmare. Both dragons lose their bearings. The Red Death thrashes, knocking Snotlout off of his dragon and onto the monster's gigantic head. Snotlout bounces across the top and comes to a stop just shy of the hundred foot drop.

"Agghh!" Snotlout yelled, Fishlegs' Gronckle goes down in a spin of confusion.

"I've lost power on the Gronckle. Snotlout! Do something!" Legs hurls Snotlout his hammer. The Gronkle crashes and skids to a stop... "I'm okay!" ... then flips over, crushing Fishlegs." Less okay."

"I can't miss!" Snotlout raises the hammer and hammers the monster's eyes, playing whack-a-mole. "What's wrong buddy, got something in your eye?" Astrid flies by on her Nadder, catching Snotlout in all his heroics.

"Yeah! You're the Viking!" she cheers, Snotlout grins, finally vindicated in her eyes. In his distraction, he gets thrown and lands heavily on one of the Red Death's spines - clinging precariously. A close call.

"Whoa!" Snotlout yelled, The monster's tail sweeps across the burning ships, snapping masts like twigs. We follow one down as it crashes onto a deck, casuing The twins to back off. Ingrd was already tiring, the heat and smoke was caughing her to have trouble breathing. they can't budge them. Fire licks at their clothes. They looks up to see The Red Death blasting at the teens, enraged. The monster's giant foot crashes through frame, smashing the bow under its impressive weight. Ingrid, Hiccup and Toothless are thrown into the water in a maelstrom of burning planks and rigging. Ingrid and Hiccup swim towards Toothless. They're all caught in a mess of rigging, being dragged down. The heavy palette settles into the rocky bottom like an anchor. Toothless has stopped struggling. Hiccup takes one more hopeless tug at the chains - he's almost out of air. Suddenly, a meaty hand grabs Hiccup and Ingrid. Stoick explodes to the surface, pulling his children to the shoreline through flaming debris. He lays him down, under the shelter of an overhanging rock.

"Dad..."The twins muttered, overwelled. Did he just save them? Stoick dives back into the water between flaming flotsam. Toothless was slowly drowning. Stoick appears in front of him. Toothless freezes. Stoick tears the chains off of the yoke and lets it float free. Momentary stillness. They eye each other, through the churned up bubbles. Toothless lunges out of the bars - grabbing Stoick. BOOM! In an explosion of sea water, Toothless lands on the shore, setting Stoick down and releasing him. Hiccup is awed. The ground rumbles underfoot. The monster screeches. Its massive claws stomp around in the smoke. Stoick gives way as Toothless mounts the rock and raises his wings. He turns to Hiccup and Ingrid,snorting 'Let's Go'

"You got it, bud." Hiccup climbs onto Toothless and buckles himself in, Ingrid gets on behind him.

"You're not doing this alone, brother." She smiles, then Stoick grabs Hiccup's arm and Ingrid's hand.

"Hiccup, Ingrid. I'm sorry...for everything." Stoick said

"Yeah...me too." Hiccup told him, Ingrid nodded

"You don't have to go up there." Stoick said

"We're Vikings. It's an occupational hazard." Ingrid qouted his words, they exchange smiles.

" I'm proud to call you my children." the twins beam, taken aback.

"Thanks dad." they smiled, Stoick lets go. Hiccup spurs Toothless on, charged with his father's belief in him. They rocket into the sky as Stoick watches.

Astrid sees Toothless streaking through the sky, gaining altitude.

"They're up!" Astrid yelled, She turns to Ruffnut and Tuffnut, who are arguing and throwing punches at each other. "Get Snotlout out of there!" in mid-punch the twins look over to see Snotlout stranded on the monster's head. They eye each other.

"I'm on it! I'm on it!" They said together

"I'm on it first! I'm ahead of you." Tuff looked at Ruff. The twins spot Snotlout on the giant dragon and steer their Zippleback in his direction.

"Hey! Let me drive!" Ruff growled, The twins peel off, arguing as they race each other to the monster. Snotlout sees the Zippleback diving toward him and dashes down the Red Death's head. He runs up the end of its horn... As the twins sweep past, both missing him... but perfectly snatching him where the necks merge. Ruff and Tuff eye each other, surprised and impressed.

"I can't believe that worked." tuff admitted, The Red Death spots Astrid and inhales, preparing to blast. She and her Nadder get caught in the suction, pulled toward the monster's gaping mouth.

The Vikings watch with dread. They hear the familiar whir of the...

"Night Fury! Get down!" Gobber yelled, all the vikings ducked, A massive blasts jolts the Red Death's head sideways. Astrid is thrown clear of its mouth... and her Nadder. She tumbles through the air. The ground races toward her, when... She's suddenly caught by the leg. She looks up to see Toothless. "Did you get her?" hiccup asked, Toothless, looks down, Astrid looks at him and smiled, he smiled back with his toothless gums. They fly over the crowd of Vikings and set Astrid down, mid- run. They circle back to reengage - a black speck against the clouds.

"Go." Astrid said, breathless. Ingrid, Hiccup and Toothless rocket past the Red Death's head and climb, higher and higher.

"That thing has wings!" Ingrid pointed out

"Okay, let's see if it can use them!" Hiccup pulls Toothless into a turn. They plummet, gaining tremendous speed. The wind buffets them as they target the Red Death as super sonic speed. KABLAM! Toothless unloads a fireball against the Red Death's wings. It goes down with a rumble as they climb anew. The Vikings shield themselves from the dust of the fallen monster... as its wings unfold and extend. dust and rocks fell from the unused wings.

Hiccup looks back as they put distance between them.

"Do you think that did it?" Ingrid asked, Suddenly, the enraged behemoth rises into frame... flapping its wings furiously. A daunting sight.

"Well, he can said, Toothless dives into the tangled sea stacks - they weave through the rock like rabbits through a briar. The Red Death snaps at them, but cannot reach them. the twins and Toothless pull ahead. The Red Death smashes through the canopy of rock and pulls in behind Toothless. He bursts through fifty-foot formations like they were saplings.

"We are not going to lose it like this Hiccup!" Ingrid said. Stoick, Gobber, and the Teens watch as Hiccup, Ingrid and Toothless streak past, weaving through sea stacks.

"Woohoo! Yeah!" the teens cheered, A moment later the Red Death smashes the sea stacks to dust in hot pursuit. The Vikings mood is quenched.

Ingrid, Hiccup and Toothless can't slow the monster down. Hiccup eyes the clouds above. An idea hits him. He locks eyes with Toothless.

"Okay Toothless, time to disappear." Toothless pulls into a steep climb, heading toward the clouds. "Come on bud!" The Red Death follows, closing in fast.

"Here it comes!" Ingrid warned as she heard the building gas. BLAST! They narrowly dodge a column of flame and smoke. They reach the low-hanging clouds and pierce them. The monsterfollows, immediately losing them in the hampered visibility. It roars irritably. From out of nowhere, Toothless dives at the huge dragon, blasting and punchating a hole in its wing. Toothless and Hiccup are gone again before the dragon can get a shot at them.

The Vikings stare up at the sky listening to the resounding booms and watching flashes light up the clouds. Gobber places a hand on Stoick's shoulder.

Ingrid holds onto Hiccup as Toothless dives in again and again, using the clouds to hide and surprise as they puncture the monster's bellows in frustration and whirls around, unleashing fire blindly, in all directions. Hiccup sees the glow of fire cutting towards them.

"Watch out!" Hiccup said, The random blast clips Toothless' tail. It's heavily damaged, the tail begins to burn. Ingrid watched it.

"We don't have much time, Hiccup." She said

"Okay, time's up. Let's see if this works." He pulls Toothless into a turn. They fly directly into the Red Death's face, taunting it. "Come on! Is that the best you can do!?" Toothless utters an insult too, and they jackknife into a steep dive. The Red Death pursues. Toothless pumps his wings, racing faster than he's ever gone before. The Twins and Toothless stay just ahead of the Red Death - no longer trying to evade it. Hiccup glances back to check the tail - it's disintegrating. "Stay with me buddy. We're good. Just a little bit longer." The Red Death closes the gap. Hiccup tucks in and holds Toothless steady - allowing the monster to set its sights on them. It narrows its eyes. " Hold, Toothless." The Red Death opens his mouth. The familiar gas hiss emanates from his throat - ignition is coming. "NOW!" Hiccup HITS the pedals hard as Toothless extends one wing. They pivot in place, hurtling directly into the Red Death's mouth. Toothless fires point blank down the monster's throat. Its amassing gas is ignited, backfiring into the monster, erupting in a chain of blasts throughout its body.

"We have to get out of it's way, or ww're going down too." Ingrid said, as they burst from the clouds, the Red Death hot on their tail, exploding from within. It glances forward and sees the ground rushing up. It throws open its wings, attempting to put on the brakes, but the punctured, damaged wings can't stop its momentum, Ingrid grinned triumptantly, as she looked back and saw that. As the Red Death chokes on the expanding fireball, he sees Toothless suddenly pull out of the dive, streaking up, past its head. The Red Death hits the ground, head-first. It explodes like the Hindenburg. Ingrid, Hiccup and Toothless weave through the monster's massive back plates, wings, and flailing legs - a high-speed recall of the free fall slalom run. The expanding fireball races toward them, about to swallow them. They manage to clear the obstacles. Hiccup glances back. They're outrunning the fireball.

"HICCUP!" Ingrid yelled, He looks forward just in time to see the monster's massive club tail careening toward them. He tries to shift their direction. The last shreds of Toothless' tail tear away. Hiccup's pedals go dead.

"No. No." they can't maneuver - they're dead in the air. The giant club tail clips Toothless, Hiccup from the harness and Ingird who was hold his shoulders. sending them tumbling against the backdrop of the fast-approaching fireball. Ingrid was able to grab Toothless' leg, but he struggles with all his might to reach the unconscious Hiccup. But the fireball swallows them both. The Vikings watch in horror as Hiccup, Ingrid and Toothless disappear into the boiling inferno.


	10. Chapter 10

This is it folks, the end of this story. I have no reviews yet, with is sad, i hope you will review. But this it, the final chapter. Enjoy folks. R&R.

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><p>Chapter 10 - Hiccup the Hero<p>

A whiteout of ash. And through it comes... a shadow

"Hiccup? Ingrid!?" Stoick appears, searching desperately. Everything is scorched. Even the ground is smoking from the terrible heat. "Hiccup!? Son!? Ingrid?!" Then Stoick sees the motionless silhouette of Toothless.

"Hiccup. " Stoick said morbid, he hurries to the dragon's side. Toothless is roughed up, but conscious. His scorched saddle, however, is vacant. Stoick looks to the sky in despair. He buckles at the knees, overwhelmed by the loss.

"Oh son...I did this..." Stoick sighed, Astrid pushes through the crowd, her eyes welling up. Followed by Gobber. They flank Stoick as he kneels, slumped over. Behind them, a ring of Vikings form, keeping a respectful distance. As the dust and smoke clear, a ring of wild dragons can also be seen, gathering just behind and between the Vikings. Toothless stirs and groggily rolls his head toward Stoick. Their eyes meet. Toothless seems unsure wether to trust him.

" I'm so sorry..." Stoick told him. With that, Toothless unfolds his wings, revealing Hiccup and Ingrid, unconscious, clutched safely against his chest. Stoick's eyes widen.

"Hiccup! Ingrid!" Stoick . Stoick scooped his children into his arms. Listens to Hiccup's heart, then Ingrids. Bursts into relieved laughter. "they're alive! You brought them back alive! " The crowd roars. Followed by the dragons. The Vikings look around to find themselves surrounded. Stoick leans close to Toothless, meeting him eye to eye. "Thank you... for saving my children." Gobber looks Hiccup up and down.

"Well, you know... most of him." Gobber said, he motions to hiccup, Stoick glances back at him. Gobber shrugs, redirecting his eyes toward...

A few days later, when everyone got back to Berk, Toothless went off somewhere. Ingrid was already awake, she had a few burns, they left her skin with a glossy looked. Now, she spent her time looking after Hiccup, she didn't mind Toothless going off, he deserved a break, and she knew he would come back. She placed a cold cloth on his head as Stoick came him.

"How is he?" He asked

"Alive... This wouldn't have happened if you listened to us dad." Ingrid said, straighting up, looking at her dad. "We said Toothless wouldn't hurt us."

"I know, I am sorry." Stoick sighed, he hugged her "But we are all friends now... But where is that Night Fury?"

"No idea, but, he'll be back!" Ingrid said, she smiled "Just wait. "

Sure enough, Toothless returned 3 days later with 3 baby Night Furies. The whole village was amazed. Ingrid took shine to the female one, whom she named Blaze, the other 2 where boys. Ingrid name one Blast, as he kept blowing things up, the other adopted the name Inferno, well, He too lived up to his name. Luckily, Toothless was there to keep them in check, their learnt very quickily. Ingrid couldn't wait for Hiccup to wake up.

Hiccup was still asleep after 2 weeks, his head on a pillow. Healing scars on his face show that he was recovering. Toothless hovered over him , Hiccup stirs, and opens his eyes.

"Oh, hey Toothless." Toothless excitedly nuzzles and nudges Hiccup. "Okay, okay! I'm happy to see you too, bud. Now just-" Toothless steps on his groin, causing Hiccup to sit bolt upright with a yelp. He looks around, confounded. He's in his bed, moved beside the fire pit on the main floor of his house. "I'm in my house." He looked at Toothless, who was leaning over him, excited. "You're in my house." Toothless TEARS around the room, knocking things over, far too big for the space. "Uh...does my dad know you're in here?!" Toothless pauses at the foot of the bed, tongue wagging. He eyes the rafters... and leaps up onto them, brimming with 'happy dog' energy. "Okay, okay - no Toothless! Aw, come on... " Hiccup shifts to get out of bed... then pauses... sensing that something is wrong. He peels back the covers slowly. What he sees startles, horrifies, and overwhelms him - all at once.

His booted foot touches down. Followed by a mechanical prosthetic in place of his second leg. It's an ingenious spring-loaded replacement, made of wood and iron. Toothless lands by the bed and approaches calmly, sniffing the new leg. He raises his eyes to meet Hiccup's, seemingly aware of what Hiccup is going through. Hiccup braces himself on the bedpost and tries to stand on it. He winces and stifles the pain... "Okay...okay...". .. but stumbles with the first step. Toothless catches Hiccup's fall with his head... and slowly lifts him up, stabilizing him. "Thanks bud. " Hiccup leans on him like a crutch. They take a few steps together. They made their way toward the pries it open revealing a Monstrous Nightmare flapping outside the door. Hiccup yelps and slams the door closed. He turns to Toothless, alarmed. "Toothless? Stay here, bud. Hiccup pauses... and cracks the door open again. He peeks outside, his eyes widening. He allows to door to swing open, revealing the Monstrous Nightmare, carrying Snotlout on its back.

"Come on guys, get ready! Hold on tight! Here we go!" A class of newbie dragon riders follow him through frame on a variety of dragons, pulling back the curtain on an amazing vista in which : Vikings and dragons mill about by the dozen, basking on the rooftops, weaving along the plaza. No one seems upset, there isn't a sword in sight. Under the framework of a massive barn, a Nadder bladts fire onto a metal brace. It steps back to let a Viking hammer it into shape. Nearby, a Gronkle lands, carrying a tree trunk in his mouth. He shows a Viking what he's found. The Viking pats his head. Another Viking backs a Zippleback into a stall to check it for size. Hiccup takes a step outside, finding Stoick waiting for him on the step.

" I knew it. I'm dead. " Hiccup said. Stoick laughs.

"No, but you gave it your best shot." Stoick smiled, He puts his arm around Hiccup, steadying him. He gestures to the transformed village. "So? What do you think?" Hiccup just shrugs, amazed. Below, the plaza, villagers take notice.

"Hey look! It's Hiccup!" They rush over, surrounding him with a hero's welcome. "Hiccup, how you doin' mate?"

"It's great to see you up and about."

"How are you Brother?" Hiccup looked to see Ingrid and baby Night Furies.

"Their..." Hiccup began.

"Toothless found them... This is Blaze, Blast and Inferno." Ingrid grinned.

"Turns out all we needed was a little more of..." He gestures non-sceoifically at Hiccup "... this."

"You just gestured to all of me." Hiccup smiled "Well. Most of you. " Gobber pushes through the crowd, beaming proudly. "That bit's my handiwork. With a little Hiccup flare thrown in. Think it'll do?"

" I might make a few tweaks." Hiccup looked at his fake leg, everyone laughed. Astrid appears and jabs Hiccup in the arm. Hiccup recoils with a grumble. "That's for scaring me.

"What, is it always going to be this way? Cause I..."Hiccup began, She grabs him aggressively... then kisses him. Hoots and hollers follow. "... could get used to it. Gobber presents Hiccup with a rebuilt saddle, rigging, and tail.

"Welcome home." Gobber smiled. Suddenly, A door opened...

"Night Fury!" Toothless pounces on the crowd, crushing several Vikings under his weight. Toothless eyes the new tail excitedly, tongue wagging. Amidst the groans and grumbles, Hiccup and Astrid exchange a sheepish grin.

Hiccup got on to his new saddle, His prosthetic foot, snapping into the modified stirrup. The two pieces click together, forming a single shape. Astride Toothless, he's whole again. He rotates the pedal. The new tail opens. Bright red with a skull and Viking horns emblazoned on it. Hiccup approves. Finally all saddled up and ready to fly. Astrid backs her Nadder into position. "You ready?" he asked, Toothless snorts an excited 'yes!' From his mount, Hiccup looks out over the changed world.

_'This... is Berk. It snows nine months of the year... and hails the other three. Any food that grows here is tough and tasteless. The people that grow here are even more so. The only upsides are the pets. While other places have...ponies or parrots, we have...'_ Hiccup, Ingrid and the other recruits stand on a cliff edge with their dragons _' ... dragons.'_


End file.
